


Marry The Man Today (Rather Than Sigh In Sorrow)

by katling



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Arranged Marriage, M/M, alliance marriage, more tags to be added later, slightly AU, the archon is sneaky
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-05-24 12:18:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6153487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katling/pseuds/katling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, I had an idea for a Cullrian arranged marriage fic and thought that it would be a couple of thousand words max. 9500 words later, I'm still going so here is the first part.</p>
<p>When the Archon asks you to participate in an alliance marriage, no really isn't a word you can keep in your vocabulary. Just as well the man Dorian is marrying is a slightly awkward and very handsome Commander of the Fereldan Army.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This will earn its rating in later chapters and I can assure you right up front that all sex is completely consensual.
> 
> Also this is set in a version of Thedas where both Elissa Cousland and Solona Amell exist and are alive and well. Elissa was recruited by Duncan and became a Grey Warden. She fell in love with Alistair, made him king and then married him. Solona Amell was with Wynne when the Tower fell and thus survived, though she never became a Warden. Cullen was still captured and severely tortured, including with desire demon versions of Solona, whom he had a fairly harmless crush on but would never have acted on it. Since he couldn't bear to live in the same tower with her afterwards, he transferred to Kirkwall early. 
> 
> Carver Hawke became a Templar and became friends with Cullen. In his own unique surly way, he managed to beat some sense into Cullen's head and drag him out of the pit of despair, anger and self-loathing he was caught in earlier than happened in canon. When King Alistair came to Kirkwall, he looked up his old friend Cullen and since he has occasional moments of being shrewder than he looks, he decided he needed Cullen more than the Templars did and for once, he put his foot down. Cullen brought Carver with him when he took up the position of Commander of Fereldan's Army and Carver is now his Second. Both Cullen and Carver are no longer taking lyrium and trust me, Carver was even more of a grouchy bear during that period.

Dorian knew that, as far as arranged marriages went, this one wasn’t so bad. In fact, he knew that better than most given how long his parents had been trying to get him to agree to marry Livia Herathinos, who was a lovely if exceedingly waspish woman whom he liked talking to but she was, in the end, a woman and thus of no deeper interest to him. He’d been able to say no to his parents thus far but when it was the Archon himself doing the asking, no wasn’t really in the vocabulary anymore. Despite that lack of an option, Dorian did have to admit that the Archon was currently one up on his parents when it came to spousal choice.

The man he was to marry was very handsome in a blond, rugged, muscular sort of way. He was, according to the information the Archon’s people had given him, one of King Alistair’s closest friends and most trusted advisors. The fact that he was the Commander of Fereldan’s Army indicated that he probably had some modicum of intelligence under that guileless farmboy face and it certainly explained the armour. Nothing however could explain that ghastly fur mantle or why the man continued to wear it in the face of Minrathous’ warm and humid weather.

“He looks very handsome,” Felix murmured in his ear and Dorian grunted an acknowledgement.

Tevinter custom demanded a meeting prior to the wedding between the two parties involved so that any gross personality clashes could be assessed as to whether they would make the marriage impossible even by Tevinter standards. Dorian suspected that even if he and the Commander loathed each other, it wouldn't change the outcome. The Archon simply needed this alliance too much to allow something as insignificant as Dorian’s feelings to get in the way.

At least the custom insisted on the two parties being chaperoned to ensure that no shenanigans of any sort went on so he had the comforting presence of his best friend, Felix Alexius, by his side. He was a little surprised to see that King Alistair himself was standing next to his husband-to-be and from the way they were talking this was no mere formality. The Archon’s information had been correct - the two men _were_ good friends. 

The two Fereldens turned to face them when they realised they weren’t alone and for a brief moment Dorian saw teasing laughter on the King’s face and resigned exasperation and amusement on the face of his husband-to-be before they both put on more bland and calm expressions. It made him feel just fractionally better about this if the King was one to tease and the only reaction was long-suffering amusement. It meant the teasing wasn’t mean or cruel and that his husband-to-be had a sense of humour.

For a moment they all stared at each other then King Alistair gave a start that Dorian was fairly sure could be traced to the surreptitious kick the Commander had just bestowed on his king’s ankle.

“Oh, right!” King Alistair flushed and the grinned sheepishly. “I’m the highest ranking person here so I have to go first, right? Ugh. I always forget that.”

“That you should go first?” the blond said, quite clearly playing the straight man with an expression that said he did this often and mostly found it amusing.

“No, that I’m the highest ranking person in the room,” Alistair replied with a laugh.

Dorian couldn’t help the amused snort that escaped him and when he glanced over at Felix, he saw that his friend was equally amused by this very unusual king.

“Right, so, this is Commander Cullen Rutherford,” Alistair said, looking very pleased. “He’s in charge of my army because Maker knows he’s better at it that I’d ever be. That’s why I stole him from the Templars after they made me king. Not that the Templars made me king but after the nebulous _they_ made me king.”

Dorian tensed at the mention that this Cullen was a Templar. He’d heard about the Templars in the south and given he was a mage, this did not bode well. But before he could say anything, he was distracted by the way the King’s face softened and gentled.

“He’s a good man. The best I know. And believe me, I know a lot of people.”

Despite his best intentions, Dorian couldn’t help but be charmed by the way Cullen blushed at the King’s praise and rubbed the back of his neck a little awkwardly. 

“He’s a brilliant Commander,” Alistair continued. “An outstanding strategist, a mean chess player and he likes shortbread and those little flaky Orlesian pastries with the powdered sugar on top.”

“Alistair!” Cullen said with exasperation.

“What?” Alistair said with mock innocence. “That’s the sort of information he should know, Cullen. Elissa has always said that she was glad she knew about my love of cheese before we got married.”

Felix stepped forward with amusement gleaming in his eyes. It was clear to Dorian that his friend liked this king and he braced himself for whatever response was going to emerge from Felix’s mouth.

“This is Dorian, Altus of House Pavus and Enchanter of the Minrathous Circle. He is one of the finest men I know. He is a skilled Necromancer, a handy fire mage, he cheats outrageously at chess and he likes candied ginger and soft toffees.”

Felix and Alistair beamed at each other, looking rather pleased with their respective displays of wit and cleverness, and then they bowed and took themselves over to a small seating area on the other side of the room, leaving Dorian and Cullen to stare awkwardly at each other. Dorian could also see a hint of apprehension in Cullen’s eyes and knew it had to come from Felix’s listing of his magical accomplishments. The south had some decidedly odd ideas about magic.

“Cheats outrageously at chess?” Cullen asked, looking both awkward and faintly amused.

“Egregious lies, I’m afraid,” Dorian said airily, a little relieved that Cullen had chosen something other than the magic to focus on. “I am an excellent chess player.”

“Uhuh,” Cullen replied, a tiny smile playing around his lips. “Of course you are.”

Dorian sniffed and looked around. The room had been prepared by the Archon’s staff and he was unsurprised to find a chess board tucked over to one side. The staff had likely known all there was to know about both Cullen and himself and had made the appropriate arrangements. He couldn’t imagine the Archon taking any chances with this.

“Shall we then?” he said archly as he gestured towards the board.

Cullen followed the movement of his hand and his face lit up. Dorian was inexplicably charmed again and simultaneously relieved for the first time that they would be going to Fereldan and not staying here. This man with his open and honest face would be like a tasty minnow to the sharks of Tevinter society.

They settled down in front of the chess board and Dorian made his opening move. Cullen perused the chess board then he snorted.

“They look far too smug,” he said as he moved a pawn.

Dorian glanced over at Alistair and Felix, who did indeed look insufferably smug.

“Yes, well, Felix was rather afraid I was going to make a scene so I suppose his smugness is partially warranted,” Dorian said with a roll of his eyes.

As he watched, Cullen licked his lips and then gnawed on his bottom lip for a moment.

“I know…” Cullen began. He cleared his throat and started again. “I know I’m probably not what you wanted in a spouse and Fereldan is… very different from here but I can promise you right here and now that I will never ask for anything you’re not willing to give and that I will do everything in my power to make you comfortable.”

Dorian swallowed hard at the obvious and open sincerity in that declaration. Cullen was telling the truth. You’d have to be blind not to see that. He made a move on the board to give him a moment to compose himself.

“You’re more of what I wanted in a spouse than my parents were ever willing to give me,” he admitted then when Cullen gave him a blank look, he elaborated. “You are, at least, a man and a handsome one at that.”

He almost laughed at the tinge of pink that appeared on Cullen’s cheeks at that mildest of compliments but then the other man frowned.

“You… don’t like women?” he hazarded.

“I like women well enough,” Dorian replied. “I just don’t like having sex with them.”

“Your parents know this?” Cullen asked, his frown deepening.

“Of course they do.” Dorian snorted. “I am their great disappointment, after all.”

“Your parents know this about you and were still trying to make you marry a woman?”

Dorian realised that the outrage in Cullen’s voice was not directed at him but was rather on his behalf. What he didn’t know was why.

“I… yes.”

Cullen actually growled at that and Dorian was glad that his ability to hide his expression was better than Cullen’s because that was somewhat arousing.

“What… how dare they?” Cullen snapped.

Dorian chuckled and held up one hand. “Hardly something to worry about now, Commander. Under the circumstances and all that.”

Cullen came to an abrupt halt and ducked his head a little, though he was still frowning. “Well, true, but…”

Dorian made a small sound of amusement, not a laugh, barely even a chuckle and with as much pain as it had humour in it.

“Your reaction is not what I expected,” he admitted. “Even Felix was resigned to the idea of marrying whoever his parents told him to and his parents are the least likely I know to do that.”

“Well…” Cullen rubbed the back of his neck. “I know neither of us have a choice in this marriage but your parents should at least have chosen a man…”

He broke off at Dorian’s bitter laugh and stared at him with surprise and concern.

“The last thing they would have done is choose a man. They’re still arguing with the Archon about this marriage as it is.” He trailed off and stared at the baffled expression on Cullen’s face. “What?”

“Why would they not choose a man if that’s your preference?”

Now it was Dorian’s turn to look baffled. “Because it’s not done. This is enough of a scandal as it is but at least we’re going to Fereldan so that no one will be forced to acknowledge it here once the wedding is over.”

“Not done?” Cullen frowned. “Dorian, what are you talking about?”

“Two men,” Dorian said, caught between irritation and bafflement at Cullen’s reaction. “It’s not done. Not openly anyway. It’s… considered shameful, something to be hidden behind closed doors.”

“Not in Fereldan,” Cullen said firmly, his mouth set in a grim line. “You will not… _We_ will not have to hide this in Fereldan. You will be known as my husband just as much as I will be known as yours.”

Dorian stared at him. He _wanted_ to believe what Cullen was saying but surely Fereldan couldn’t be _that_ different from the Imperium. Cullen stared right back at him then he turned towards the others in the room.

“Alistair.”

The Fereldan king looked at them with surprise then got up and wandered over.

“You bellowed?”

Cullen frowned. “I didn’t bellow.”

“Close enough.” Alistair grinned. “What do you need, oh mighty Commander?”

Cullen sighed with a world-weariness that forced Dorian to swallow a sudden grin. Obviously these sorts of shenanigans were commonplace between King and Commander. It boded well.

“Will you please tell Dorian that a marriage between two men is perfectly acceptable in Fereldan?”

Alistair blinked then looked over at Dorian. “A marriage between two men is perfectly acceptable in Fereldan,” he parroted obediently then he caught himself and sobered. “It really is. Two men, two women, a man and a woman. All acceptable. No dogs though. We don’t go that far, no matter what the rumours might say about us.”

Just for a moment, Dorian felt the world dip underneath him then he drew in a deep breath and steadied himself.

“Truly?”

Alistair nodded. “Absolutely. Why?”

“It’s not here,” Cullen said with a hint of anger in his voice.

“Oh,” Alistair replied. “That explains some of the reactions we got when we proposed the match.” He frowned for a moment then he smiled a little. “You know, the Archon was pretty quick to suggest you, Dorian. Said he had the perfect man in mind. And he’s been riding roughshod over any objections your parents or anyone else have had.”

Dorian blinked at that news. The Archon himself was encouraging this marriage? Then he frowned and looked over at Cullen.

“You… prefer men?”

Cullen blushed. “I like both but when I realised that whoever I married from Tevinter was likely to be a mage, I specified a man. I, uh…” He paled and Alistair’s hand was suddenly on his shoulder, gripping it tightly. “I have my reasons.”

Cullen ducked his head and Dorian saw Alistair shaking his head at him out of the corner of his eye. When he looked up, the king was uncharacteristically serious as he gave Dorian a look that quite clearly implored him not to pursue the matter. He gave a small nod in return and Alistair relaxed again.

“Well, as I am clearly the one benefitting the most out of this, I suppose I can’t argue,” he said, feeling a little lost.

Cullen looked up and smiled wanly. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’m the loser in this marriage.”

Alistair grinned and laughed as he patted Cullen on the back. “I told you that you could flirt, Cullen.” He held up both hands at the glare Cullen levelled at him and started to back away. “Okay, I’m… going back over there now. Where it’s safe.”

Alistair left them to it and Dorian couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Do you always treat to your king to such monstrous glares?”

Cullen sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’ve known Alistair since we were both fourteen. He hasn’t changed much.”

“He was a Templar?”

Cullen shook his head. “No. He was in training to become one but he was conscripted by the Grey Wardens before he could finish. We lost touch for a while after that but then he was in Kirkwall and he found I was there as well. He came to see me and sort of… conscripted me himself. He said he needed a Commander more than the Templars needed a Knight-Captain.” He smiled wryly. “I’ll admit I had been… unhappy with the Order for a while at that point so I was more than willing to rate my king’s demands higher than those of the Order.”

Dorian raised an eyebrow. “And how did the Order feel about that?”

“They weren’t happy,” Cullen admitted. “But despite the way he normally acts, Alistair does know how to be a king when he truly needs to be. He just prefers to ask and encourage people to do what he wants instead of ordering them.”

“What a curious sort of king he is,” Dorian replied.

“It wasn’t really his choice,” Cullen replied. He cocked his head curiously. “You don’t know about it? I thought everyone did.”

“I do remember that the previous king died fighting the Blight,” Dorian replied, looking a little sheepish. “But I confess that my nineteen year old self had little interest in anything outside my own interests and pleasures back then. The Blight wasn’t an immediate threat to Tevinter so I never paid it much attention.”

Cullen blinked. “You were nineteen when the Blight occurred? We must be the same age then.”

“You didn’t think we were?” Dorian asked.

Cullen waved a hand. “The moustache makes you look a little older.”

“That’s why I grew it,” Dorian replied with a chuckle. “Then I got used to it and just kept it. So, tell me about how he became king.”

Cullen settled back and explained the events of the Blight. Dorian couldn’t help noticing there was a lot of ‘I’m told’ and ‘Alistair said’ in the descriptions and when he ventured a question about Cullen’s location at the time, the man went white and started stammering until Dorian shifted the conversation back to Alistair and his bride, Elissa Cousland, who had very firmly placed her husband on the throne and then married him.

“I’d say she had orchestrated the perfect manoeuvre,” Dorian said thoughtfully, “except that King Alistair doesn’t seem the type to fall in love with that sort of manipulative woman.”

“No, she’s not like that,” Cullen replied fondly. “She loves him deeply and I think she did it that way because if she was going to make him king when he really didn’t want the job then she wasn’t going to leave him to do it alone. Or let him marry anyone else.”

“I don’t recall seeing her in the king’s retinue,” Dorian said with a frown. “A pity. I’d like to meet her.”

“She’s… travelling,” Cullen replied. “She’s a Grey Warden as well. She got a lead on a way to rid Wardens of the Blight and she’s chasing it down.”

“Ah,” Dorian said, trying to look like he understood what that meant. From the amused look Cullen gave him, he wasn’t very successful.

“Ask Alistair at some point,” Cullen said. “After you get past the paeans about Elissa, he’ll be able to explain better that I could.”

A bell tolled in the distance and Dorian gave a start as he realised that the hour set aside for this meeting had all but flown by. He’d expected it to be a trial but instead he found himself less resigned to the marriage than he had been before. He was still not entirely happy but Cullen was not what he’d expected in all the best ways and that meant he could face this wedding with equanimity, if not actual pleasure.

“Dorian?” Felix said quietly as he and Alistair walked over.

Dorian got to his feet and smiled at Cullen. “Well then… I shall see you tomorrow then.”

Cullen looked a little nervous as he nodded. “Yes. I, uh… until then, Dorian.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next part of this fic as promised. In this installment, Felix makes sure Dorian is okay and Alistair makes sure Cullen is okay. And a random Carver links them both.

Felix waited until the door had closed behind them and raised an eyebrow at Dorian. “Well? You seemed to be getting along well.”

“He’s… rather lovely actually,” Dorian admitted with more than a bit of wonder in his voice.

“I told you that you were borrowing trouble,” Felix said with a chuckle. “You read the worst possible connotations into the information the Archon gave you about him.”

Dorian huffed and scowled for a moment before relenting. “Yes, well, we haven’t exactly touched on the ‘he used to be a Templar’ part yet so it still has time to go completely pear-shaped.”

“Go gently on him about that, Dorian,” Felix said softly. “King Alistair’s a bit worried you’re going to overreact because apparently the Commander tends to be very harsh on himself when it comes to his failings. He wouldn’t go into much detail but I got the impression that something rather terrible happened to the Commander and he reacted very badly to it. And now he regrets that enormously.”

Dorian frowned. “Humph. I imagine that explains a few reactions he had.” He arched an eyebrow at Felix. “I don’t suppose King Alistair explained why Cullen was amenable to a _male_ mage but not a _female_ one?”

Felix looked surprised. “No. I didn’t know about that. At least you’re marrying a man who won’t object to your presence in his bed. That’s good, isn’t it?”

“I suppose so,” Dorian said with a grimace. “Though apart from one remark, he never actually gave any indication he _wanted_ me in his bed.” His expression darkened further. “I suppose he’s been given information about me, hasn’t he? He probably doesn’t want someone with a past as… promiscuous as mine.”

Felix placed a hand on his arm. “ _Dorian_ ,” he said with some exasperation. “What did I just say about you reading the worst possible connotations into everything? How about you _talk_ to him about it first before simply jumping to conclusions?”

Dorian grumbled under his breath. He knew Felix was right. He’d read all sorts of terrible things into the information the Archon had given him and none of it had proven true. And Cullen _had_ given some indication that he found Dorian attractive. He had no reason to believe that Cullen would care about his past. 

“Oh.”

Dorian looked over at Felix to see his friend staring at something ahead of them with wide eyes. He looked himself and saw a tall dark-haired young man who was looking around with obvious frustration. He vaguely recalled seeing the young man amongst the Fereldan party though he couldn’t be entirely sure.

“Can we help you?” Felix asked, closing the gap between them.

“I hope so. I think I took a wrong turn somewhere and I’m lost,” the man growled.

“Where were you trying to go?”

“The Car… ulus wing?”

Felix and Dorian winced over the man’s appalling pronunciation of the section of the Archon’s palace that been assigned to the Fereldans, though it did confirm who he was.

“The Caeruleus Wing is back the way you came,” Felix said smoothly. “You must have turned left at the top of the stairs instead of right.”

The man sighed. “This place is a maze.”

Dorian cocked his head slightly as the man spoke. “I can’t tell if you’re Fereldan or not,” he said with a small smile. “Not from your accent anyway.”

The man looked at him and then his eyes widened in recognition. “Uh, I’m Fereldan but I’ve spent a lot of time in the Free Marches. You’re Lord Pavus, aren’t you? If you’re here then I’m late.”

“Dorian Pavus,” Dorian said with a small bow. “This is my friend, Felix Alexius.”

“Carver Hawke,” the tall man said with a nod. “I’m Cullen’s second in command.”

“Pleased to meet you, Carver,” Felix said with a smile.

The tall man gave them an abstracted nod. “You too.” He looked around. “So back that way and right at the top of the stairs?”

Felix sighed. “Yes, that’s right.”

The man gave them a nod and turned on his heel before stomping off down the corridor. Dorian watched him go then snickered at Felix’s expression.

“What is it with you and tall brunets?”

Felix smiled wryly. “I’m a weak man, Dorian.”

Dorian snorted and then they both laughed as they made their way back to their assigned rooms.

*******

“He seems… nice,” Alistair said, looking hopeful.

“Um… yes,” Cullen replied, rubbing the back of his neck as he wished he’d worn something other than his armour today. He’d contemplated it but he felt more comfortable in the armour than in anything else and he’d been very nervous about today. But the armour was really not suited to the temperature in Tevinter and he was now sweating for reasons other than nerves.

“Does he really cheat at chess?”

Cullen blinked. “Uh, not that I saw but we did get a bit distracted.”

“Are you still upset with me for getting you into this mess in the first place?”

Cullen looked over at his friend with surprise and then sighed at the forlorn expression Alistair was pointing in his direction.

“No,” he said with a heavy sigh. “I know you looked for every other possible solution and he’s not…” He paused and searched for the words he wanted. “He’s not what I expected from a Tevinter mage.”

“We could still chuck it in and make a run for it,” Alistair offered. “I mean, it’d cause a horrendous diplomatic incident and Eamon would probably yell at me for weeks but I’d do it if that’s what you really wanted.”

Cullen gave a small laugh. “No, Alistair, we don’t need to do that.”

“So… you’re okay with him being a mage?”

“He doesn’t remind me of…” Cullen broke off and swallowed heavily. 

Alistair and Carver were the only ones who know everything that had been done to him when he’d been a prisoner in Kinloch Hold. Elissa knew _some_ of it but not everything. Alistair and Carver were Templars… or near enough in Alistair’s case… and they understood in ways that Elissa just couldn’t. He knew she’d try and probably get close but… some of it he could barely manage to speak of to those two men, he wasn’t sure he could get it out to a woman. He hadn’t even been able to tell his sister.

“I’m… better,” he said. “Not perfect. I don’t think I’ll ever be that. But he’s… not like any mage I’ve ever known.” He shrugged. “He hasn’t cast any magic in front of me so I don’t know how I’m going to react to that but… he’s different and that’s enough at the moment.”

Alistair nodded but he still looked worried. Cullen wasn’t actually sure what he could say to set his friend’s mind at ease. Probably nothing more than time would take care of that. And, well, he wasn’t quite sure how to say that he liked Dorian. At least as much as you could like someone on first meeting them. The man was attractive and witty and very quick of thought. He was, in many ways, exactly the sort of person that Cullen found desirable. It was just the magic that might be a sticking point but Cullen was determined to be as fair and open-minded as he possibly could.

“Cullen!”

The Commander turned around to find his second in command striding up the corridor. Carver looked irritated but that was nothing unusual for the younger man and Cullen had gotten used to it anyway. He’d met Carver when the younger of the Hawke siblings had joined the Templars in Kirkwall. For all his grouchy surliness, Carver had been a major reason why Cullen had been able to drag himself out of the pit of fear, anger and self-loathing he’d been all but lost in back then. Carver’s older brother was an apostate mage and Carver had countered pretty much every objection Cullen had in regards to magic and mages with good sense and often rather acerbic truths. He wasn’t sure whether the younger man realised just how much help he had been in his grumpy offhand way.

So when Alistair had recruited him, it had seemed the right thing to do to offer Carver a place at his side. He had been less surprised than many others when the younger man had accepted. If Cullen had his doubts about the Order, Carver had even bigger ones once he’d seen what things were truly like. They’d also been a support for each other during the withdrawal from lyrium, something both of them had insisted on doing despite Alistair’s worries.

“Did you get lost?” Cullen teased his second. Carver’s sense of direction was generally good but on the occasions it went astray, it went _really_ astray.

Carver scowled. “I took the wrong turn after coming up the stairs.” He smirked. “I met your bride.”

“He’s not my bride,” Cullen said with a sigh.

“He’s pretty enough for it,” Carver said blithely, making Cullen wonder how they were going to manage to avoid a diplomatic incident every time Carver opened his mouth. “His friend is actually helpful though.”

“Felix?” Alistair said brightly. “He seemed very nice.”

Cullen rolled his eyes at the memory of Alistair and Felix’s ‘introductions’ and kept walking towards their rooms. “Let’s go.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heh, I meant to get this up last night but I fell asleep. So here it is now. I think this chapter could be summed up by singing, "Going to the chapel and we're gonna get married." Then there is some talk and I'm pretty sure you'll all know where I might be going at the end of this chapter. :D Sometime tropes are good things.

The wedding ceremony was bidding fair to be stupendous and elaborate. Cullen was wearing enough golden braid on his dress uniform to make him cringe while the ostentatious display of the medals and awards he was entitled to had made him feel awkward rather than proud. Dorian, on the other hand, looked calm and almost regal in his Tevinter finery and Cullen felt frustrated until he stood next to the man while they waited to walk up the aisle and realised that it was all a façade. Dorian was easily as nervous as he was.

“Is all of this… normal for a Tevinter wedding?” Cullen whispered, trying to distract himself from his nerves as much as Dorian.

“Yes… well, no.” Dorian grimaced. “Weddings are usually occasions to try and stun your peers with your magnificence but this is a bit over the top. I think the Archon might be trying to stun any assassins into thinking twice about their assignment.”

Cullen twitched. They’d been warned about the possibility of assassins and his people were on guard for it as much as the Archon’s men. It made his shoulders twitch though and he wished he could have worn his armour.

“You, uh… you look very nice,” he said, wishing his voice didn’t sound so strangled.

He was surprised when Dorian gave a start and then stared at him intently. Whatever he found in Cullen’s face actually made him blush a little and look momentarily bashful. He then raised his head and smirked.

“I think I look rather more than very nice.”

Cullen decided to take Dorian’s original reaction as the genuine one and he smiled a little. “You’re right. You look… wonderful.”

Once again Dorian looked like a lost deer for a brief moment then his expression softened as he seemed to realise that Cullen was being completely sincere.

“Yes, well…” He cleared his throat. “You scrub up rather well yourself, Commander.” He plucked at some non-existent lint on Cullen’s jacket. “The uniform is a bit drab but you’ll do.”

Cullen’s eyes widened as he looked down at the ostentatious gold braiding and brocade that covered his jacket. “This is _drab_?”

Dorian smirked and Cullen sighed as he realised he was being teased.

“Really. Does _everyone_ have to do that to me?”

Dorian chuckled. “You do make it so easy, my dear Commander.”

“Cullen.”

Dorian looked at him curiously. “What?”

“Cullen. It’s my name and we’re about to get married so you really should use it.”

“Cullen.” Dorian sounded like he was getting a feel for the name. “Very solid and practical.”

“Rutherfords are very solid and practical people,” Cullen said dryly.

Dorian’s reply was cut off by an elaborate fanfare and the doors swinging open. Cullen took a deep breath and offered his arm to Dorian. The mage licked his lips then slid his hand through Cullen’s arm like the world would explode if he did. When nothing happened, he relaxed a little and gave Cullen a nod and they began their long procession down the aisle.

Cullen honestly couldn’t have described the ceremony later. It was long and tedious with a great many speeches from various people. He _did_ remember that Alistair’s speech was very noble and regal and for once he managed to refrain from sidetracking into his usual array of terrible jokes. He also remembered the moment when he and Dorian made their vows and slid rings onto each other’s fingers, eliciting a round of applause and cheers from the Fereldan contingent and polite and slightly disapproving clapping from the Tevinter side of things.

The reception party was likewise much of a blur, full of food Cullen couldn’t really stomach and people who made snide and insinuating remarks about Dorian until he was ready to take to the lot of them with a sword… if he’d actually been wearing his sword. And this was probably why he hadn’t been allowed to. It was only Dorian’s hand on his arm and the man’s capacity with a witty cutting comment in return that kept his temper in check. Despite that, by the time they retired to their new room, Cullen had a splitting headache that was threatening to go beyond that and become a migraine.

“Do you always look so dyspeptic at the thought of the marriage bed?” Dorian said dryly, though there was a hint of… something vulnerable underneath that Cullen couldn’t quite decipher in his current state.

He sighed and sat down heavily on a chair. He loosened the collar of his jacket then rubbed his forehead wearily.

“I’m sorry, Dorian. I… my head…” 

He hung his head and rubbed at the back of his neck where the muscles were tying themselves into awful knots and making the headache worse. He didn’t see the speculative look Dorian gave him nor that the mage had approached. As such he gave a start when Dorian spoke.

“I did get the impression that you have issues with magic,” he said in a neutral tone. “But would you allow me to try something?”

Cullen gave a breathless laugh. “Right now, I think I’d allow you to take my head off if it would make me feel better.”

“Nothing that dramatic, I’m afraid,” Dorian said with a chuckle.

Cullen gasped when simultaneously a warm… _hot_!... hand came to rest on the back of his neck and an icy hand cupped his forehead. He gave a low moan of sheer relief and without thought rested his head against Dorian’s stomach. He felt the icy hand shift a little to a more comfortable position then they were still and silent for a moment as the heat on the back of his neck started to unravel the knots in his muscles and the cold beat back the headache a little.

“Maker.” He swallowed hard. “I didn’t know…”

“That magic could be useful instead of just frightening?”

Cullen gave a soft huff. “Something like that.”

After a moment of surprisingly comfortable silence, Dorian cleared his throat delicately. “I know that Tevinter parties can sometimes be headache inducing but this seems… something a little more.”

Cullen chewed on his lip and tried not to tense up and undo Dorian’s work. He knew that eventually he was going to have to tell Dorian what had happened to him and the chain reaction it had caused including its ultimate end in Alistair’s service. Perhaps not all of it but… enough that he would understand. He just hadn’t expected to have to start tonight.

“I’m… prone to headaches,” he admitted. “I… you know I used to be a Templar?”

He got a very dubious “Yes” from Dorian and grimaced.

“Templars in the south take lyrium.”

He didn’t get any further when he heard the outraged sound from his new husband.

“Kaffas! They do _what_? Are you mad? You’re not mages. It would be horrifically addictive.”

Dorian went abruptly silent and then the warm and cold hands disappeared and Cullen found his face being cradled by those hands as Dorian knelt in front of him. He was surprised to see the look of concern on the man’s face.

“This is withdrawal?”

Cullen grimaced. “Yes and no. I’m through the worst of the withdrawal process but it still comes and goes and I’ve found I’m prone to getting headaches and body aches more easily than normal.”

“And nothing could induce a headache more easily than a Tevinter party full of people stabbing everyone else in the back,” Dorian said bitterly. “I was wondering why you seemed so… tense.”

Cullen frowned. “I was tense because I was trying not to rip their heads off for the things they were saying to you.” He snorted at Dorian’s surprised look. “I know how the Great Game is played, Dorian, I just choose not to play it. They were being rude and I’m allowed to get angry when people are rude to my husband.” His eyes narrowed. “I won’t be so circumspect if anyone tries that back home.”

Dorian looked stunned. “But… this is just a marriage of convenience for the alliance.”

Cullen ducked his head for a moment. “I… I know. But whatever it is, you are my husband and I won’t have you treated badly.”

Dorian was utterly speechless for a moment then he shook his head. “You are an impossible man, you know that?” He stood before Cullen could say anything and began tugging at Cullen’s jacket. “Now, up. Let’s get this off and get you to bed. You need the sleep to avoid making that headache worse.”

Cullen allowed Dorian to fuss over him and chivvy him into bed, though he did blush a little at undressing in front of the other man. Once he was dressed in the soft sleep pants he normally wore and was tucked into the ridiculously soft bed, Dorian turned and started to walk away. Cullen quickly reached out and grabbed his wrist.

“Where are you going?” he asked softly.

Dorian actually looked flustered for a moment. “I, uh… there’s a chaise out in the other room. I thought I…”

“Dorian, stay here,” Cullen said gently. “Just… sleep. I promise I won’t touch you or do anything you don’t want. I’m not going to… to take advantage of you or force myself on you. I wouldn’t.”

Dorian stared at him for a long, long moment then he finally nodded. Cullen let go of his wrist and Dorian quickly stripped down to his smalls and crawled into the other side of the bed. He lay stiffly on his back so Cullen curled up on his side and settled down with the obvious intent to sleep in the hope that would calm the man.

“Goodnight, Dorian.”

There was a long silence and just before he dropped off, he heard Dorian’s hesitant, “Goodnight.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, after the comments here and over on tumblr, I couldn't bring myself to make you all wait any longer. Aren't I nice? :D
> 
> The morning after the wedding and this is the chapter that earns the fic its rating. Or in other words, ahoy, thar be sex ahead.
> 
> And, because I can't resist the tease, the FeVer starts in the next part. Mwahahaha! ;D

When he woke the next morning, Dorian became immediately aware of two things. Firstly, that he had turned on his side during the night, which was unusual for him. He tended to sprawl over as much of the bed as possible either on his front or his back. Felix had likened him to a large cat more than once because of that. The second thing was that his large, ridiculously impossible, Fereldan husband had curled up behind him in his sleep and was plastered against his back with one heavy arm thrown over his waist while he snuffled rather adorably into the back of his neck.

That was when he became aware of a third thing – the rather impressive erection that was pressed against his backside, hot and throbbing even through the fabric of Cullen’s sleep pants and his smalls. An erection that was soon matched by his own.

Cullen muttered something unintelligible in his sleep and his hips rolled lazily forward, pressing that hardness more firmly against Dorian’s arse. For his part, Dorian moaned a little at the feel of it and the anticipation of how that hot length might feel pressing into him and had this been any other man, he would have turned around and woken him up to make that thought a reality. But this was Cullen and for all that the man was honest and sincere, he still had no idea how he really felt about him and they were married now and kind of stuck with each other and for once Dorian didn’t want to screw this up before it even had a chance to begin.

He was just working through the logistics of extracting himself from Cullen’s sleeping embrace when the man gave a small snort and then went very, very still. 

“Dorian! I… I… I…”

The man sounded utterly mortified and Dorian could only chuckle and take pity on him. He squirmed around in the man’s embrace until they were face to face and only then did he realise his tactical error. They were now rather cosily snuggled up to each other and their respective erections were equally as cosily snuggled up to each other. Dorian _somehow_ managed to control the urge to rut against the other man and from the strained look on Cullen’s face, he was facing the same battle.

“I’m sorry,” Cullen gasped. He was clearly having trouble mustering enough brain cells to put together a coherent sentence. Dorian could sympathise. “I didn’t mean… take liberties….”

Dorian knew he should get up, get out of the bed, get _away_ from the blond-haired, pale-skinned temptation that he was snuggled up to so intimately. But he didn’t. He just _couldn’t_. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t find Cullen desirable and right now the proximity of the man was overriding his common sense.

“By all means, take liberties,” was the breathless comment that emerged from his mouth and he stared at Cullen with wide-eyed chagrin. It wasn’t that he didn’t mean the words, it just… hadn’t been what he’d intended to say.

Cullen moaned and Dorian felt the way his body twitched and his hips stuttered before going still again. Really, he was terribly impressed at the man’s self-control. Slightly disappointed as well but overall, impressed.

“Dorian, I don’t want to… take advantage,” Cullen somehow managed to choke out past his obvious lust and desire. 

Dorian closed his eyes for a moment, unsure whether to curse this good and decent man or sing paeans that he’d been made to marry him and thus Cullen was all _his_ and not likely to leave him. He hoped. He compromised by wrapping an arm around Cullen and simply _undulating_ against him.

“Does this feel like you’re taking advantage?” he purred.

Cullen’s eyes flew open… and Dorian didn’t know when the man had closed them… and he stared wildly, his gaze full of desire and lust and worry. “Dorian…”

“We can talk about everything later,” Dorian said through gritted teeth. “Right now, I would really, _really_ like it if you would fuck me into the mattress.”

He undulated against Cullen again and as he watched, the man’s impressive steely control just _snapped_. He got immediate confirmation that Cullen’s growls were _very_ arousing then he was on his back with the man in question looming over him.

“Dorian,” Cullen said a little helplessly then he leaned in and captured Dorian’s mouth in a searing kiss.

Now they’d kissed during the wedding ceremony but Dorian didn’t really count that as a kiss. An awkward peck in front of hundreds of people, many of whom wore disapproving glares, could _never_ be counted as a kiss. This, on the other hand, was more to the point. He wasn’t just being kissed, he was being claimed, _devoured_ , and he could do little more than clutch at Cullen’s shoulders and moan into the kiss, pulling the man down against him.

When they finally broke apart so that they could just _breathe_ , Cullen didn’t stop. Instead he kissed his way along Dorian’s jaw and down his neck, gasping and cursing as they ground their erections together.

“Cullen, _please_ ,” Dorian begged, bracing his feet against the mattress and thrusting up against the hardness he could feel against him. “Fasta vass! Slow later. Fuck me now!”

Cullen pulled away with a muttered curse and yanked his pants off. He actually tore Dorian’s smalls getting them off but Dorian didn’t much care, mostly because he was partially to blame. He’d been unable to resist wrapping his hand around Cullen’s thick swollen cock when it was revealed, swiping his thumb over the leaking head to gather the liquid beading there. It had been sucking his thumb into his mouth to taste Cullen’s essence that had cost him a pair of very expensive silk smalls but it was a price he was more than willing to pay.

Cullen reined himself in with a deep shuddering breath. “Oil. We need oil.”

Dorian gave a throaty laugh as he sprawled artfully on the bed. “This is a wedding bed, Cullen. Try the bedside table.”

Cullen stared at him for a moment and Dorian was delighted when, despite the way he’d been kissing him, the man actually _blushed_ before leaning over to yank open the drawer of the bedside table. He dropped the vial he found in there on the bed then leaned over again to capture Dorian’s mouth in another of those devouring kisses. This time when they ground against each other, there was nothing in the way and they _both_ moaned into the kiss at the sensation of skin on skin.

“ _Cullen_ ,” Dorian whined and Cullen got the message.

Dorian whimpered when he felt slick fingers against his hole but Cullen didn’t make him beg again. One finger pressed into him and he gasped and grabbed his knees, pulling his legs up and wide apart, opening himself shamelessly to his husband. He heard Cullen’s breath catch and his muttered curse then there was a second finger and then, in short order, a third pressing in next to the first, stretching him with relentless efficiency. 

Then the fingers were gone but before he could register a complaint, they were replaced by something bigger and hotter and slicker and he threw his head back and moaned as Cullen slowly pushed in. Cullen grabbed at Dorian’s legs, moving them back, leaving Dorian feeling completely in his control. He was surprised how much he _liked_ that feeling with Cullen and he grasped at the man’s shoulders to drag him down into another kiss, this one slower and messier than the others they’d shared.

Cullen paused for only a moment when he was finally fully seated then he took Dorian at his earlier word as to what he wanted. He drew out and slammed back in then did it again and again and again, his cock striking that sweet spot inside with almost military precision. Dorian was rapidly reduced to little more than writhing and incoherent gasps and curses and when his orgasm crashed over him without either of them laying so much as a finger on his cock, he all but screamed Cullen’s name. 

Cullen pounded into him through his orgasm then he gave a low moan and his hips stuttered a few times as he found his own completion. He collapsed on top of Dorian and buried his face in the mage’s neck as he gasped for breath. Dorian wrapped his arms lazily around Cullen’s shoulders then he gave him a nudge.

“My legs,” he murmured.

Cullen murmured an apology and shifted to the side. Dorian winced a little when his cock slipped out of his arse then he was being gathered up in Cullen’s arms and he could only manage a self-satisfied purr. He felt sore in the best possible way, sated and very pleased.

“You’re very good at that,” he said with lazy satisfaction. 

He got a breathless laugh for his trouble. “I, uh… thank you. I actually don’t… I mean, I’m not very…” There was another huff of embarrassed laughter. “Experienced.”

Dorian propped himself up so that his chin was resting on Cullen’s chest. The man was blushing that delightful shade of red and he couldn’t help but smile at it.

“Take it from someone who is perhaps a little _too_ experienced, you have nothing to worry about.”

Cullen’s blush deepened but he also looked quietly pleased. Then he bit his lip. “Dorian, I…” He swallowed and seemed to struggle to find the words he wanted. “This was… amazing but I… I don’t want you to feel _obligated_. I liked it and I would very much like to do it again but…” He gave a helpless laugh. “I don’t know how to say what I want to say. Dorian, I’d like us to be friends. I want us to be more than that. And I don’t… require you to have sex with me for that to happen. I can wait, for as long as you need.”

Dorian could only stare at Cullen with wonder as several things sank in. This man was not going to use sex as a bargaining chip to get what he wanted at Dorian’s expense. He was not going to get up and pretend this never happened. He was not going to discard Dorian now that they’d had sex. He cared far more about Dorian’s wellbeing and what Dorian wanted than what he himself wanted. He was so far outside of Dorian’s experience that he almost felt like he ought to pinch himself to ensure he was awake, though a small wiggle of his arse was enough to convince him. Even his most erotic dreams had never left him feeling so well fucked before. So this had to be real.

Cullen was starting to look apprehensive and worried so Dorian forced himself to speak words he’d never done before.

“I want all of that too,” he said softly. “You impossible man. You ridiculous, impossible, wonderful man. Maker, look at you. I had sex with you because I _wanted_ to, Cullen, not because I felt obligated or forced. I like sex and I certainly like having sex with you if that was any example.” He chuckled at the man’s deep red complexion and decided he’d better shift the subject slightly before Cullen combusted. “But I want the rest of it. I… I want to be friends. I want to see if we can be more. I want us to be more.” He gave a small bitter laugh. “I want us to get out of Tevinter so I can do that and Maker will you please be patient with me while I learn that I _can_ be open about this?”

Cullen reached up to brush his fingers along his cheek and Dorian leaned into the touch immediately. His husband – and oh, how he liked that word right now – looked like he wanted to simultaneously run away with Dorian and protect him from the world and take a sword to the entirety of Tevinter.

“I will, I _can_ , be patient,” he said with a small sad smile. “In return, will you promise to hear me out in full when I… tell you about my past? It’s… not good and I…”

Dorian silenced him with a finger against his lips. “Shh. I will do that. No matter how bad your past is, I can see the man you are _now_. That matters.”

Cullen swallowed and nodded then pulled Dorian in for a gentle kiss. “Thank you.”

They settled back into their embrace and were silent for a while then Dorian suddenly snickered as a random thought occurred to him.

“What?” Cullen asked, looking a little confused.

“Your friend Carver,” Dorian said with a giggle.

“What of him?”

“Felix is very taken with him. He has a soft spot for tall brunets and a tendency to lose his reserve when he has a drink or two.”

Cullen suddenly snorted with laughter. “Maker, that would have been interesting last night. And potentially disastrous.”

Dorian propped himself up on Cullen’s chest again with a worried frown. “Does Carver not like men?”

Cullen snorted again and waved away his concern. “I’m not sure Carver really knows _what_ he likes but he does have a remarkable ability to shove both feet into his mouth when he gets flustered.”

Dorian collapsed with laughter. “Then I think we’ll find they either hate each other with a passion or they’ll be studiously avoiding each other because they woke up in bed together.”

“I’m not sure which is worse,” Cullen said with a laugh.

Dorian suddenly straddled Cullen’s hips and eyed him archly. “Let’s wait to find out. I think I’d like to get an idea of just how much experience you _do_ have.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I meant to put this up last night but between the sweltering heat and the way work slammed me… so I didn’t. So it’s going up now.
> 
> In this part, we have the beginning of the Feverix! :D Which is mostly oodles of awkward and Carver having the emotional depth of a teaspoon. He’ll get better at that. Also, Alistair really likes cheese and Dorian and Cullen are adorable and clearly in denial about their growing feelings for each other.

When Cullen and Dorian finally emerged from their room and made their way down to the dining room in their wing, they found a rather interesting sight. Alistair was lounging in a seat at the head of the table with an enormous cheese wheel in front of him. He had a knife in his hand and was carving off slices and eating them off the tip of the knife in a manner that would have had Elissa smacking him upside the head if she was there.

Carver was slouched in a chair at the other end of the table with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and a sullen, grouchy expression on his face. Cullen knew his second well enough to see past the façade of his expression to the uncertainty and discomfort underneath. 

Halfway between Alistair and Carver, sitting bolt upright and looking faintly embarrassed, was Felix. He was very studiously _not_ looking at Carver or Alistair and was instead staring down at his clasped hands. His cheeks were a faint shade of pink and when he looked up and saw Dorian standing next to Cullen, he looked so relieved that Cullen had to bite back a laugh.

Cullen looked back at his second and saw the way Carver’s eyes flickered over to Felix. Carver then blushed and Cullen snorted softly. “I think your second option is right,” he murmured to Dorian.

Dorian looked openly amused. “Oh, I think my second option is very, very right.”

“Cullen! Dorian! Have a good night?” Alistair said brightly. He was quite clearly enjoying the show that was being put on in front of him.

“Do you really want to know?” Cullen asked dryly as they sat down at the table.

Servants materialised out of nowhere – their own servants, they had refused the slaves that had been offered – and served them deftly before disappearing again.

Alistair blushed a little himself. “Er, no. Probably not.” 

His gaze flickered between the two men then settled on Cullen as the two men applied themselves to their breakfast. He waited for his friend to look at him then raised both eyebrows questioningly. Cullen smiled fractionally and nodded and Alistair sighed with relief and settled back into his slouch.

“Good morning, Felix,” Dorian said, laughter obvious in his voice. “Did you have a good time at the reception?”

Felix sighed and rolled his eyes. “How do you always know?”

Dorian laughed. “You are like an open book, Amicus.” His eyes slid briefly over towards Carver, who had slouched down in his seat even further and looked like nothing more than a sulky teenager. “And terribly predictable.”

Cullen snorted with laughter and Carver got up hurriedly, almost tipping over the chair he’d been sitting in. “I need to… go,” he growled before storming out of the room.

“Oh dear,” Felix said, looking a little shamefaced. “I…”

“He’s not angry,” Cullen said with a chuckle. “And he’s not ashamed of whatever happened last night. I know him well enough to be able to say that with certainty. He’s just… well, one of his friends once said that he has the emotional depth of a teaspoon.”

“Oh.” Felix looked towards the door. “Should I…?”

Cullen shook his head. “No. Let him blow off some steam and wrap his mind around it.” He looked over at Alistair. “We leave this afternoon, don’t we?” When the king nodded, he turned back to Felix. “I can’t guarantee he’ll have worked through it all by the time we leave though.”

Felix chewed on his lip and looked a little unhappy. “I don’t regret what happened.”

“Write a note for him, if you like,” Cullen replied. “I’ll see that he gets it once he’s sorted himself out.”

Felix smiled wanly. “Thank you.” He looked at Dorian and now that he wasn’t caught up in his own problems, his eyes widened. “Oh!”

Dorian actually blushed and Felix grinned.

“All your borrowing of trouble came to naught then?” he said innocently.

“Felix!” Dorian hissed.

“Borrowing of trouble?” Cullen asked curiously.

Dorian rattled his fingers on the table until Cullen covered them with one hand. He looked up at his husband to find that Cullen was smiling.

“Pessimist?”

Dorian shrugged and turned his hand over, curling his fingers around Cullen’s. It was achingly adorable and he loved it.

“A little.”

Cullen’s smile quirked a little on one side. “I hope I, uh… exceeded your expectations.”

Dorian’s eyes widened and he realised that, yes, his husband _had_ just made a very subtle sex joke. He hadn’t thought the man was capable of such things and he was… delighted.

“Oh, you did indeed,” he said, loading his voice with as much innuendo as he dared with the king sitting at the end of the table. “Very much so.”

He smirked when Cullen blushed a brilliant crimson then the man surprised him again and despite the lingering blush, he licked his lips and managed a quite passable sultry look.

“Glad to hear it.”

Alistair cleared his throat and they looked over to see the king was blushing. He stood up and tucked his knife back in its scabbard on his belt.

“Uh, right. I’m going to go… be king somewhere else.” He cleared his throat. “Everything seems to be going swimmingly here and I don’t think I’m really needed.”

He scurried out the door and Cullen ran his free hand down his face. “He’s never going to let me live that down now.”

Felix chuckled and got to his feet as well. “I think I’m going to go and write that note.” He hesitated. “Be kind to each other? The past is the past, whatever it may contain. It only has the power to hurt you in the present if you let it.”

He hurried out of the room and Dorian and Cullen exchanged looks.

“There are things I need to tell you,” Cullen said soberly. “Things from my time as a Templar. But… not here.”

Dorian nodded. “Probably for the best. The walls most definitely have ears in this place.”

Cullen’s blush, which had just died down, suddenly returned. “You mean they…?”

Dorian grinned. “Most likely. I wonder how jealous they were.”

“Maker’s breath,” Cullen said with exasperation, though he did not reclaim his hand.

“Just be thankful we’re leaving,” Dorian said with a laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian and Cullen get to know each other a bit better and navigate some potentially stormy waters. Carver realises he was an ass and gets a certain note.

Dorian had hoped to have time to talk to Cullen on the trip to Fereldan but the moment they left the Archon’s palace, Cullen was in demand in his role as Commander. He was juggling the safety of the king along with keeping the troops that had come with them in line and it wasn’t until they’d made camp that evening that they were able spend some time together without being interrupted every five minutes.

Unfortunately, even then they were disturbed when, just as they’d sat down at the small table holding the meal Dorian had arranged, Carver came metaphorically knocking at the door. Cullen took one look at his Second’s face and grimaced.

“Can you give me a moment, Dorian?”

To Dorian’s eyes, Carver looked as sour and grumpy as always but he nodded anyway. However, from Cullen’s reaction, there might be a little more to it and given what they’d witnessed just that morning, he was more than happy to facilitate whatever might be going on between Felix and Carver.

“Of course,” he said with a wave of his hand.

Cullen pulled Carver just outside the entrance to the tent and Dorian could easily see their low-voiced discussion. Now that he was watching more closely, he could see that Carver seemed frustrated and apparently annoyed with himself. For his part, Cullen was patient and amused and then he finally handed over the note Felix had written. Dorian could only chuckle at the expression of surprise, hope and embarrassment on Carver’s face then Cullen sent the younger man off with a clap to his shoulder.

“Has he decided he was an ass this morning then?” Dorian asked as Cullen sat down again.

Cullen chuckled. “More or less. I won’t say Carver’s romantic entanglements have been strictly with women in the past but the few men I know of were a long time ago.”

“He thought they were just youthful follies or some such?”

“Probably.” Cullen rubbed the back of his neck. “Felix seems to have gotten under his skin though.”

Dorian chuckled. “Felix is very good at that.”

“How long have you known him?” Cullen asked.

“Since we were children actually,” Dorian replied, pleased that Cullen wanted to know about him as much as he wanted to know about the other man. “Our fathers are friends so we played together as children and then kept in touch as we got older.”

“You weren’t taught magic together?” Cullen asked.

Dorian hesitated then he grimaced. “No. For a number of reasons. Felix’s ability with magic is rather limited, unlike my own. His interest is more in mathematics and the applications of mathematics in the world. And I was… expelled from a number of Circles, which wouldn’t have helped matters if he was there.”

Cullen was silent for a moment and Dorian began to panic a little. Talking about his past was fine when it was with Felix, who understood why Dorian had done what he’d done. He hadn’t necessarily thought it was a good idea but he’d understood. But when he explained it to someone who didn’t know him or his family, it didn’t make him sound very good.

“You don’t make mages of limited talent Tranquil?” Cullen asked tentatively then he grimaced and waved a hand. “No, of course you wouldn’t. But… aren’t they at risk of possession?”

Cullen looked so concerned and hesitant that Dorian bit back the automatic response that he wanted to make. There were always things said about the vast differences between the way mages were treated and taught in south compared to the Imperium and it seemed like they may be closer to truth than rumour. However Cullen wasn’t assuming that the Fereldan way was right, he was simply asking a question and seeking information. He didn’t deserve to be lambasted for that.

“No, we don’t,” he said, unable to stop the hint of acidity in his voice despite his best intentions. “We actually teach them about demons and how to avoid their blandishments so they won’t get possessed.”

Cullen looked a little abashed and Dorian winced. 

“So you don’t use the Rite of Tranquillity at all?”

“I didn’t say that,” Dorian replied with a sigh. “It’s a wonderful tool for powerful people to use against their enemies after all.”

For a moment Cullen stared at him with dismay then he ran a hand down his face. “Maker’s breath.”

Dorian frowned at Cullen’s reaction. He’d expected a number of different reactions at that particular piece of information but one he hadn’t expected was that Cullen would look a little sick and very, very weary.

“Cullen?” he said with more than a little worry.

Cullen shook his head and his face cleared a little. “Sorry. I… the former Knight-Commander in Kirkwall did something like that. Making mages Tranquil and expelling Templars for the most trivial of reasons, mostly because they’d dared to try and move against her in some way. I… had hoped she was an anomaly.”

Dorian hesitated for a moment. He knew from the information the Archon had given him that Cullen had served in Kirkwall for a time before leaving with King Alistair a few years before everything fell apart there. He was almost tempted to ask what had happened but an instinct told him that was probably part of what Cullen wanted to speak to him about and that conversation was better held when they had some privacy. Which they would not have in a tent surrounded by soldiers.

“In the south, she probably is,” he said instead. He hesitated for a moment then decided to steer the conversational ship into more placid waters. “So what of you? Do you have any family?”

Cullen blinked then smiled at little at obvious ploy. Since the smile held more relief than anything else, Dorian knew he’d made the right decision.

“I do,” Cullen said. “My parents are still alive and they and my siblings live in South Reach. They moved there after the Blight.”

“Ah, yes. The Blight hit Fereldan quite hard, didn’t it?”

Cullen nodded. “I think it was mostly contained to Fereldan. The Hero stopped the Archdemon before it could spread further.”

“Where did you live before the Blight?”

“Near a small town called Honnleath,” Cullen replied. “Though I hadn’t been back since I left at thirteen.”

Dorian looked startled. “You began your training at thirteen? Isn’t that a little young?”

“Is it any younger than the mages?” Cullen replied with a shrug. “Many of them are even younger than thirteen when they show their first signs of magic.”

“True enough.” Dorian cocked his head. “Did you enjoy it?”

Cullen smiled shyly and nodded. “I did. I wanted… I wanted to protect people. I had some naïve ideas about protecting the mages from the people who wanted to hurt them and protecting the people from any mages who went bad.”

Dorian smiled in return. “They sound like rather good ideas. The right kind of ideas for a Templar.”

Cullen looked pensive. “My parents weren’t entirely convinced about the whole idea of becoming a Templar but I was persistent and the local Knight-Captain said I had some skill so they relented and let me go.”

“What did your siblings think about it?”

Cullen chuckled. “Mia was cross with me but only because she didn’t want me to go. Branson thought it would be a grand adventure and Rosalie was too young to really understand.”

“Older or younger?” Dorian asked, looking a little wistful.

“Mia’s older than me,” Cullen replied. “Then me, then Branson, then Rosalie. Did you ever want to have siblings?”

Dorian snorted. “I’m not sure. Sometimes I did because if I’d had a brother, there might not have been as many expectations on me. But then I think of what my childhood was like and think I wouldn’t want to inflict that on anyone else.”

Cullen’s face darkened a little then he frowned. “Your parents weren’t at the wedding.”

“They were at the ceremony but not the reception.” Dorian smiled bitterly. “They were told to attend the ceremony. They were the ones whose heads were exploding. But they declined to attend the reception. Just as well. They’d probably have been offensive.”

Cullen chewed on his bottom lip. “I know my parents will want to meet you. My whole family will.”

Dorian shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I… suppose it would be churlish of me to say no. Uh… do they know that this is an arranged marriage?”

Cullen chuckled. “Yes, they do. Mia had a few pithy things to say about it but since I was fine with it, they’ve accepted it.” He smiled. “I think they’ll like you, Dorian.”

Dorian made a scoffing sound. “Cullen, parents on the whole don’t tend to like me very much.”

“Probably because you’re usually trying to shock them,” Cullen said knowingly.

Dorian opened his mouth to protest then he closed it with a sheepish smile. “Mea culpa.”

“What?”

“You’re right. I usually am trying to be at least mildly obnoxious. Even on my best behaviour, I’m usually facetious and frivolous. At least back home, I am.”

Cullen smiled slightly. “Just be yourself, Dorian, and they’ll like you.”

Dorian looked uncomfortable. “Being myself usually gets me into trouble.”

Cullen reached out and took his hand. Dorian stared down at their hands for a moment before closing his fingers around his husband’s.

“It’ll be fine, Dorian.”

Dorian stared at their joined hands a moment longer then he looked up at Cullen. “I almost believe you.”

“Good,” Cullen said firmly. “Because I mean it.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They arrive in Denerim. Cullen gets shanghaied by his minions and Dorian meets a new friend.

Denerim and the palace were not what Dorian had been expecting. He wasn’t entirely sure _what_ he’d been expecting but the sheer familiarity that everyone seemed to share with the King and his entourage was certainly startling. The Archon was a distant, austere, aloof figure who might deign to acknowledge you if you were lucky but King Alistair seemed to be on first name terms with just about everyone they passed and even seemed to know personal details about them, like children’s names and such.

What was more unnerving for Dorian was that Cullen’s attention had been claimed by subordinates and nobles alike almost from the moment they’d ridden into the palace courtyard and now he’d been swept away by said subordinates and nobles, leaving Dorian standing there with no idea of what he was meant to be doing or where he was meant to be going. He was also on the receiving end of a number of curious and… not quite _hostile_ but certainly wary looks.

“Enchanter Pavus?”

“Er, yes?” 

Dorian turned to find an older woman, a mage from her clothing, standing there. She had a kind look on her face but there was a faint edge of mischief dancing in her eyes that immediately endeared her to Dorian.

“My name is Wynne, Senior Enchanter of the Fereldan Circle and currently serving as Magical Advisor to King Alistair.”

She seemed quietly amused by her introduction and Dorian could understand why. In a country where people were, at best, wary of magic, the fact that the King had a Magical Advisor must have set the cat very much among the pigeons.

He gave a florid bow. “Dorian Pavus, Enchanter at the Minrathous Circle and currently…” He grimaced. “At something of a loose end actually.”

Wynne laughed and hooked her arm through his before nudging him into motion and guiding him towards the palace.

“Yes, I noticed. The Commander gave me an imploring look as he was dragged off by his underlings so I took pity on him and thought I’d best rescue you.” She shook her head. “Honestly, it’s not as though they’re not perfectly capable of running things in the Commander’s absence.”

“Everyone wants the teacher’s approval,” Dorian said whimsically.

“That is true,” Wynne said with a laugh. “I’m sure he’ll shake himself loose as soon as he can. He won’t have wanted this.”

“He’s a busy man,” Dorian said in a neutral tone.

Wynne gave him a look that saw through his façade. “That may be but I know he wouldn’t want this.” She smiled impishly. “I’ve known him for years, you see. He was such a sweet boy when he was at the Circle. He never failed to call me ma’am.”

Things clicked into place in Dorian’s mind. He gave Wynne a curious look. “That was before it fell, I presume.”

Wynne nodded and looked satisfied. “He’s told you then.”

“Some,” Dorian replied. “Or rather he’s told me that some very bad things happened to him and he didn’t react well to them. He intends to tell me more but he wanted to do it somewhere where we had some privacy.”

“That’s wise,” Wynne said. “Though do remember that before those things happened, he was a very sweet young man.” She paused for a moment. “And he’s much more like that young man again these days.”

Dorian looked at her for a long moment. “Everyone seems terribly concerned that I know that Cullen is a good man.”

Wynne smiled slightly then gestured to the door they were approaching. “These are Cullen’s rooms, however he has organised separate rooms if you would be more comfortable.”

Dorian hesitated then he nodded. “This will be fine.”

Wynne ushered him in and then she answered his observation from before. “Cullen has a tendency to think the worst of himself. That is why everyone is concerned. He sees only the bad and does not give himself the credit he deserves for the good he has done.” She gave him a stern look. “Do not let him drive you away.” She smiled again. “The servants will be here soon with your luggage. I’ll leave you to get settled in.”

Wynne bustled out of the room, leaving Dorian standing there feeling a bit lost once again. He had a half-hearted wish that she had stayed but then he reminded himself that he was an adult and a mage of Tevinter and he was _not_ going to let Ferelden defeat him. 

It was just as well he’d made that resolution as there was a knock on the door and when he opened it, a bevy of servants came in carry his and Cullen’s luggage. The servants gave him a wide berth and some very wary looks and once they’d deposited the luggage in the room, they beat a hasty retreat. Dorian sighed and closed the door behind them. He was somewhat used to being a pariah back home due to his preferences and his refusal to hide them but he’d always had _some_ friends and acquaintances there. After less than an hour in the Ferelden palace, he felt like more of a pariah than he’d ever been at home and it made something inside him go cold.

He walked over towards the various chests and boxes and placed his hands on hips. He was just wondering where he was supposed to put his things when the door opened again. He turned to see a rather harried looking Cullen come rushing in.

“Dorian! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to just abandon you like that.” Cullen ran a hand through his hair and looked exasperated. “Honestly. I delegated to them because I trust their judgement. Even if there was a problem, unless it was darkspawn coming from the Deep Roads, it can wait until tomorrow.”

Dorian chuckled, feeling some of that coldness in his chest thaw a little. “Is it the first time you’ve done that?”

“Er… yes,” Cullen admitted then he sighed and rolled his eyes. “Maybe I should do it more often.”

“Possibly,” Dorian closed the gap between them then hesitated. He knew what he wanted but wasn’t sure if he could have it. But Cullen seemed to read what he wanted with frightening ease and he snagged Dorian’s belt and reeled him into a warm embrace. Dorian relaxed against his husband and wrapped his arms around Cullen’s waist.

“I like Wynne,” he murmured after a while.

He felt Cullen tense then relax.

“So do I and not just because she flusters Alistair so easily.”

“She said she knew you,” Dorian said carefully.

Cullen sighed. “She did. I suppose I should…”

Dorian pulled away just far enough to place his fingers over Cullen’s mouth. “Yes, I know there are things you want to tell me but right now is not the time. We’re both tired, you’re exasperated and I want to unpack.”

Cullen seemed to notice for the first time that all of Dorian’s belongings were in the room along with his own. “You… want to stay with me?”

“Well, you _are_ my husband,” Dorian said with a raised eyebrow.

Cullen smiled at him. There was still some hesitation in his eyes though. “Yes, I am.”

“Then that’s that.” Dorian reached up and caressed his cheek. “People will talk if we sleep in separate rooms.”

Cullen tensed and swallowed. “Ah, yes, I suppose they will.”

Dorian wanted to kick himself for making it sound so clinical and he hurried to correct that. “And I…” He licked his lips. “I rather like sleeping with you.”

Cullen immediately blushed and Dorian had to smother a grin. They’d shared a bed all the way here and while Cullen had wanted to be more circumspect given they were sleeping in a tent, he had been able to coax him into a more than just kissing and cuddling on occasion.

“And we have a whole bedroom here,” Dorian continued, letting his grin show when Cullen blushed some more. “And a bed.”

“Maker’s breath.” Cullen swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck but his eyes were now intent on Dorian and the mage could see the desire growing in them even as the arm still wrapped around him tightened. “Dorian…”

“It’s a comfy bed, isn’t it?” Dorian purred. “I’ll bet it is. You have a little hedonistic streak within you that you like to hide behind your stoic Commander act. Legacy of all those years of privation as a Templar, no doubt.”

Cullen licked his lips. “I… yes. It’s… it’s very comfortable.”

Dorian raised an eyebrow. “You should show me.”

He could see the indecision in Cullen’s eyes as his sense of duty began to rear its head and he decided to take shameless advantage of the fact that Cullen had chosen not to wear his armour that morning due to some sort of shenanigans between him and the King and as such was wearing only a loose shirt tucked into his breeches. He let his hand slide along Cullen’s hip then he twitched the shirt so that it pulled free. He snaked his fingers underneath and ran his hand up the warm skin of Cullen’s side, enjoying the way that made his husband’s breath hitch.

He leaned in and stopped with his lips almost touching Cullen’s. “Take me to bed, Cullen.”

“Yes,” Cullen said then he caught Dorian in his arms and kissed him as he backed him towards the bedroom.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the ‘Cullen confess all’ chapter. There are some small changes in regards to what happened in DA2 to take into account that Cullen left with Alistair. And I promise, next chapter we start getting back on the feverix bus as well. I just had to get Felix down to Ferelden and that starts in the next chapter, which I’m currently working on. 
> 
> As might be expected, this chapter features mentions of what happened to Cullen at Kinloch as well as what happened in Kirkwall but I kept them to mostly allusions rather than any details.

Dorian had never claimed to be a master of timing and never was that proven more correct when he propped himself up on Cullen’s chest after a particularly vigorous round of lovemaking and asked, “Are you ever going to tell me those deep dark secrets you keep alluding to?”

He could have kicked himself when Cullen paled and tensed underneath him and he quickly shifted so that he was lying on top of the man and caressed his face until he had Cullen’s full focus back on him.

“Can we just remind ourselves that I can be an ass sometimes?” he said in wry apology.

Cullen breathed out a soft laugh. “You do have a point though. I promised you an explanation and I’ve been putting it off ever since.”

Dorian went to move off the man but found himself being held in place. He cocked a curious eye at Cullen and the man blushed.

“I... I like you there,” he admitted.

Now it was Dorian’s turn to blush and he tangled their legs together. “I’m not too heavy?”

“You’re perfect,” Cullen replied, causing Dorian’s blush to strengthen despite his best efforts to maintain some kind of front. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been called perfect before and he _knew_ he didn’t deserve it.

“You know I was a Templar at the Circle here in Ferelden?” Cullen asked after a moment of silence.

Dorian nodded. “You’ve mentioned it and Wynne said you were a very sweet young man.”

Cullen blushed and looked bashful. “I forget sometimes that she knew me back then.”

“She seemed very insistent that I keep that fact foremost in my mind,” Dorian observed.

“She’s never blamed me for the idiotic things I said when I last saw her in Kinloch Hold,” Cullen admitted sheepishly. “I apologised to her when I met her here in the palace after Alistair recruited me and she scolded me for apologising then fussed over me like she was my grandmother.”

Dorian chuckled. “She does seem the type to do that.” He propped his chin on his hands. “So you were at the Circle, presumably when it fell.”

He felt Cullen shudder underneath him and the man closed his eyes for a moment.

“I was. Uldred… he came back from Ostagar mad. Or maybe he always was mad and we just missed it somehow. I don’t know. All I do know is that he started using blood magic and summoning demons, forcing mages to become Abominations or killing them. He killed the Templars or… or gave them to the demons and I…”   
Cullen shuddered again and Dorian caressed his face as he listened with a troubled expression. This sounded like the worst sort of excesses of the Tevinter of the past and he suspected there was worse.

“I was held captive,” Cullen said, his voice shaking. “I don’t know why Uldred did that but… he had me imprisoned behind some kind of magical ward just below the Harrowing Chamber. He… he tortured me, tormented me by withholding food and water and lyrium until I did what he or his lackeys wanted. They sent demons…”

Dorian placed a gentle finger over Cullen’s lips. “Shhh. There’s no need to relive it all, Cullen. I don’t need to know the details. You were a victim of some of the worst magic can do. That is all I need to know. You were rescued though, yes?”

Cullen nodded. “Queen Elissa came to the Tower seeking aid from the Circle. She had ancient Grey Warden treaties that demanded that help. What she found was chaos and she came in to sort it out. She had Wynne and Alistair with her.” He winced. “I said such terrible things when they found me and afterwards I demanded that all the surviving mages be killed because how could we know they weren’t blood mages or possessed. I was a fool.”

Dorian snorted. “You were a traumatised young man. Anyone who holds words said in the anger and fear caused by torture and torment against you is a fool of the highest order. Am I right in saying that neither Wynne nor King Alistair nor Queen Elissa blame you for what you said?”

“Yes,” Cullen admitted with a small nod. “That… that’s true. But I…” He looked very pained. “It didn’t end there. I… was afraid and angry. At mages and magic. I… never hurt anyone but I wasn’t fit to be on duty. Knight-Commander Gregoir sent me to Greenfell to level out and Knight-Commander Meredith from Kirkwall recruited me.”

“I take it that wasn’t a good thing,” Dorian said.

“I thought it was at the time.” Cullen sighed but Dorian was quietly pleased that his husband still held him tightly and had not shifted him from his position on top of him. He felt that meant that whatever fears Cullen might have had once had about mages and magic, he no longer possessed them if he was comfortable enough to tell him this story while ostensibly being ‘held down’ by a mage and a Tevinter mage at that. “She seemed to be sympathetic and understanding. Now I recognise she was playing into my fears and reinforcing them because she wanted an obedient underling who would uphold her cruelty.”

Cullen winced. “And it was cruelty, plain and simple. She hated mages and the things she did… the things _I_ did and allowed to happen when I was her second in command. I was not a good person, Dorian.”

“What changed?” Dorian asked quietly, for it was plain that change _had_ occurred. Cullen was _not_ a cruel and terrible person, not the man he knew, not the man he’d married who had been so conscious of not forcing him into anything he was uncomfortable with.

“Hawke,” Cullen said with a weak chuckle. “Both of them. Garrett Hawke never stopped challenging me. I’d say something asinine and he’d call me on it. Force me to stop and actually think about what I was saying. Then Carver joined the Templars and Meredith assigned me to him as a sort of mentor.” This time his chuckle was more genuine. “You’ve met Carver. He’s as blunt as a brick through a window and he didn’t give a damn that I outranked him. If he thought I was wrong, he’d call me on it.”

“That was either courageous or stupid,” Dorian said with amusement.

“A bit of both but he is Fereldan like me so… I knew what he meant,” Cullen replied. “Between him and his brother, I stopped simply reacting with the fear and anger that had been ingrained in me since Kinloch. I started _thinking_ again and… saw what sort of man I’d become. I was disgusted with myself. I almost left the Order then and there.”

“What stopped you?”

Cullen was silent for a moment and Dorian suppressed a smile when he felt one of Cullen’s hand rub his back as though Cullen found the motion and touch soothing.

“Carver again,” he said finally. “He pointed out I was the Knight-Captain and that if I left, Meredith was only going to promote someone worse into my position. That we needed to stay to do what we could. But it wasn’t easy. Meredith was as quick to punish Templars who opposed her as she was mages.”

“Then you _did_ leave,” Dorian said.

Cullen nodded. “We did. We’d been backed into something of a corner by that stage and we knew we were going to have to do something soon. Although by then I had the support of the moderates and liberals among the Templars, there weren’t enough of them to make any move to have Meredith removed from her position have a chance of success. I’d have had to have Elthina’s support for that and the one time I approached her to make some subtle enquiries… well, I wouldn’t have had her support. I don’t know what Carver and I would have done if Alistair hadn’t turned up.”

“That was lucky. Do you regret leaving?” 

“Sometimes.” Cullen sighed. “Carver was right about that. Things got worse after we left with the new Knight-Captain and then… well, then the Chantry explosion happened and everything went to hell there. I’m torn between wishing I could have been there and being glad I was out of it. I’m fairly sure there’s nothing I could have done to stop what happened but I wish I’d been there to help get things under control before the bloodshed got out of hand.”

Dorian cocked his head thoughtfully. “What would have happened if you’d stayed? If things had continued the way you thought they might.”

“We’d probably have been kicked out,” Cullen said with a sigh. “If we were lucky. By that stage, we’d noticed that some of the more liberal Templars who’d spoken out against Meredith’s regime had died in some very suspicious accidents.”

“You don’t think she’d have gone that far with you, do you?” Dorian said with surprise.

“I don’t know. Carver thought she might.” Cullen grimaced. “He’s got a point. Do you kick out your Knight-Captain and his favoured protégé and risk them staying in the city and causing sedition from the outside where you can’t control them or do you… get rid of the problem altogether?”

Dorian shuddered. “Then I’m all the more glad that Alistair recruited both of you.”

Cullen sighed again. “I still feel guilty that I didn’t stay. I was the cause of many of those problems or at the very least I didn’t do anything to stop them. I should have stayed to try and fix them.”

“And be murdered by Meredith and her cronies?” Dorian gave him an exasperated look. “Be sensible, Cullen. Besides, you and Carver got off lyrium, didn’t you?” Cullen nodded and Dorian continued, “Then that’s probably one of the best things you could do for the Templar Order. Show them they don’t need to bow their necks to the Chantry. That they _can_ leave if things are going wrong. What better way to get the message through to the Chantry than to have half their Templars desert? Or their mages all request transfers to the Fereldan Circle once we hammer things out.”

“I… hadn’t thought about it that way,” Cullen admitted.

Dorian paused. “I’m failing to see why I should be so horrified by all of this, let alone why I should run off and abandon you.”

Cullen looked pained. “Dorian, I did horrible things to mages. I _allowed_ even worse things to happen and turned a blind eye to them.”

“Yes, I realised that,” Dorian replied. “Do you regret that?”

“Yes!”

“Do you intend to do that sort of thing now?

“No, of course not.”

“Do you intend to toss me into a Circle?”

“No.”

“Are you working with the King and Wynne to try and change things in the Ferelden Circle?”

“Yes, when I can,” Cullen replied. “Though I don’t have much jurisdiction there. But things need to change.”

“You _did_ do those things and you _were_ that man,” Dorian said. “I am not negating that or denying it. I wish you hadn’t done those things but more than that I wish you’d never had to be subjected to the worst of magic in the first place that meant you walked down that dark path as willingly as you did. It almost makes me wonder how we can be here, like this, when you know what mages can do.”

Cullen frowned. “But… you’re not like them! Very few mages are. Uldred was… not typical of mages. I know that now. I am _wary_ of magic, I’ll admit that. As you said, I’ve seen… _experienced_ … some of the worst it can do. But I’m not afraid of it or of mages anymore.”

Dorian chuckled. “And I think you answered your own question there of why I don’t hate you. With all that you’ve been through, I can accept you being wary of magic. That’s understandable. I’m saddened that you fell so far but, Cullen… a bad man doesn’t try and crawl his way out of that mire. A bad man doesn’t try and redeem himself. And a bad man does not blush and stammer and look so adorably bashful as you do.”

He laughed as Cullen immediately did all three of those things and he leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.

“There. See? I think Wynne was right. You are once again very much like the sweet young man she knew before the Circle fell. Not exactly like him. You’ll probably never be like him again. But you’re a good man nonetheless.”

Cullen groaned. “Maker, you’re going to ask her for stories, aren’t you?”

Dorian grinned wickedly. “There are stories? I wasn’t but I am now.”

Cullen tilted his head back and laughed. If the laughter was a little pale and tired then that was understandable given what he’d just revealed. Dorian took the opportunity to start placing nipping kisses along Cullen’s neck and the laughter turned into a low moan before they were both thoroughly distracted.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Dorian broods and writes a letter, Carver proves he’s an idiot and Cullen is politically naive. 
> 
> And this chapter finally allows us to get to the Feverix to go with the Cullrian.

Dorian wouldn’t say that he was unhappy in Ferelden. He’d been unhappy in Tevinter so he knew what that was like so _unhappy_ wasn’t the word he would use. Maybe uncomfortable fit better or maybe he just couldn’t find the word he wanted to use. He couldn’t say he was unwanted because Cullen had made it plain _that_ wasn’t the case and King Alistair, Wynne and the rather odd drunken dwarf who wandered in and out of the palace had also been adamant that they liked Dorian and he was more than welcome here. He could say it was interesting being here as King Alistair and Wynne seemed determined to get him involved in their attempts to reform the Circle and he was more than willing to help.

Despite all that, perhaps the word he was looking for was _lonely_. Or homesick. Or out of sorts. Or all of those. Because he did feel out of place despite Cullen’s best efforts to help him settle in. Most of the people he met in the palace were wary of him at best, though the servants who looked after his and Cullen’s rooms had finally stopped flinching every time he moved an inch. But if Wynne and Cullen and Alistair were busy, he didn’t really have anything to do or anyone he could really speak to.

He taken what he considered his well-earned mope out onto the battlements of the palace and stared out at the city as he let the mope settle in. He wanted to get the worst of it out of his system before he went back in otherwise Cullen was going to notice and he was going to get more of those worried, unhappy looks from his husband. It wasn’t Cullen’s fault that he was out of place here. Maker knows he was doing everything he could to make Dorian happy but he had a job to do and Dorian couldn’t demand Cullen spend more time with him than he already did.

“Huh, the guards were right.”

Dorian gave a start and, though he’d deny it, a yelp and whirled around to find Carver standing not far away, looking amused.

“I beg your pardon?”

“One of my more idiotic guards came to tell me you were planning some sort of sedition on the battlements,” Carver said blandly. “I assumed that meant you were standing up here brooding and occasionally looking lovelorn when you started thinking about Cullen and I was right.”

Dorian gave him a flat look. “Have you written back to Felix yet?” He smirked when Carver flushed and looked down at his boots then he rolled his eyes. “You haven’t, have you? Maker preserve me. Fereldans! Are you all such complete idiots when it comes to this sort of thing?”

“I… well…” Carver scowled but Dorian wasn’t at all intimidated by that sort of thing these days. By now, he knew that scowl was more or less Carver’s default expression and if what he’d heard about the elder Hawke was true, that was entirely understandable. Then the man sort of deflated. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You could start with we had a lovely evening together, Felix, would you like to do that again. Or have me do you again,” Dorian suggested sweetly. “I’m fairly certain he’ll say yes to both of those options.”

Carver blushed and glared at him. “I can’t write that in a letter.”

“Darling, he’s as Tevinter as I am,” Dorian countered. “He won’t be at all shocked. Pleased is more likely.”

“I’ve got to get it right,” Carver said in a truculent tone. “And I’ve got to get back to work. Enjoy your brooding.”

Dorian chuckled as the warrior stomped off down the stairs and as he leaned back against the battlements, an idea occurred to him. It was a wonderful idea that would certainly solve his problem and would _definitely_ solve Carver’s letter-writing problem. And he was certain that King Alistair wouldn’t mind one more Vint invading his kingdom, not when he was likely to get endless entertainment out of it.

He was still at his desk composing the letter when Cullen returned to their rooms. He mumbled a greeting to his husband and kept writing with the now-familiar sounds of Cullen stripping off his armour in the background. Then he felt a warmth against his back and a pair of lips press against the back of his neck. He hummed in approval and leaned back into Cullen’s comforting strength.

“Writing to Felix?” Cullen asked absently as he slowly let the tensions of the day bleed out of him.

Dorian nodded. “Did you know Carver still hasn’t written back to him?”

“Really?” Cullen chuckled. “I knew he was bad but I didn’t think he was that bad.”

“So I’m writing to Felix to suggest he come here for a visit,” Dorian said innocently. “Do you think King Alistair will mind?”

Cullen was silent for a moment then he straightened and began to laugh. Dorian watched with a small smile playing across his lips. It was times like these when Cullen was relaxed and happy that he truly believed he could fall in love with this man. In fact, he suspected it was happening anyway in places in his heart and mind that he’d long ago walled off to protect himself. Every time he was responsible for Cullen’s happiness or his relaxation or just anything that meant that Cullen had well and truly let his guard down around him, some of those walls crumbled and fell and he knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d have to acknowledge and admit to the emotions behind them.

“Do I think King Alistair will mind?” Cullen said once he’d gotten his laughter under control. “I think King Alistair will find it as hilarious as he does watching us.”

Dorian gave a start. “He watches us?”

“He says we’re adorable together,” Cullen said as he rubbed the back of his neck and gave that wry half-smile that Dorian was coming to like very much. “He likes watching other people be happy together.”

Dorian felt his cheeks warm at the idea that outsiders – not that King Alistair was really an outsider but he was in a sense – looked at him and Cullen and saw a couple worthy of being called adorable. Maybe his walls were crumbling a little faster than he’d thought and maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to worry about whether Cullen returned whatever feelings he was developing.

Then he frowned. “Wait. Is King Alistair not happy?”

Cullen hesitated then sighed. “Not really. He hides it well but… he never wanted to be king in the first place. He’s Maric’s bastard son and the only reason he became eligible to be king was because Cailin was killed at Ostagar and he and Anora had never had children. Even then Anora still had a fair claim on the throne and Alistair was sort of shoehorned into the role by Queen Elissa and Arl Eamon.”

Dorian frowned thoughtfully. “Eamon? He’s the old man who’s always badgering the King, isn’t he?”

“That’s the one,” Cullen said with a nod. “Eamon used to be something of a father figure to Alistair but their relationship isn’t as good as it used to be. He feels that Eamon’s trying to use him or make him into some kind of puppet king. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the latter is true but I think there’s some truth to the former. Elissa used to act as a barrier between them but… she’s gone off on some Grey Warden business that she’d didn’t feel she could delegate and Eamon’s trying to exert his authority in her absence.”

“I’ll bet you’re trying to help there,” Dorian said fondly.

Cullen smiled wryly again. “I try but I don’t hold any rank outside that of Commander so the Arl doesn’t feel the need to listen to me if he doesn’t want to. And he gets annoyed that Alistair puts more weight on my advice than his own.”

“Has he tried to undermine you?” Dorian asked, his gaze sharpening.

“He mutters about a commoner being the Commander of Ferelden’s armies but I’ve proven myself in the field in some skirmishes with the Avvar and some Orlesian troublemakers so he can’t do much more than mutter.” Cullen snorted. “Besides, Teyrn Loghain Mac Tir was a commoner as well and despite what he did at Ostagar, he’s still regarded as a hero for his actions in driving out the Orlesians and as a result, the people like the idea of a commoner in the position. They feel that it bodes well. So Eamon doesn’t really have a leg to stand on.”

Dorian snorted. “The King should just give you a title.”

“He’s tried. I declined. I don’t need one.”

Dorian stared at him for a moment then threw his hands in the arms. “Maker preserve me. I’ve married the most politically naïve man in Thedas. Cullen, the title isn’t really for you. It’s to give you the backing to knock down people like Eamon when they get pushy.”

Cullen rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s really that important?”

“To people who think titles are important? Yes.” Dorian sighed. “No one says you have to be anyone other than yourself if you get a title, Cullen. It’s… useful. Just like the rank of Commander means those ranked below you will listen to you and do what you say, the title of Teyrn means the stupider of the nobles will also listen to you.”

Cullen considered that. “I hadn’t thought about it that way. Alright. I’ll talk to Alistair about it tomorrow.”

“Good,” Dorian said archly. “So is that the only reason King Alistair isn’t happy?”

Cullen shrugged. “His wife is away and we don’t know when she’s coming back and he hates being king. Does he need any more reasons than that?”

“True,” Dorian said with a wry chuckle. “Well then, I think that makes this letter all the more important.”

Cullen leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’d say so. I’ll make sure my best people are ready to see it delivered to Felix in Tevinter and provide him with an escort here.”

“You just like tormenting Carver,” Dorian accused with a laugh.

Cullen smirked. “There may be an element of that in there but I’d also like to see him happy.”

“And you try to say that you’re not a good man.”

Cullen blushed and Dorian felt a little more of those walls crumble. He quickly turned back to his letter before he could let any of that show. There’d be a time and place for it but not now. Not until he was ready.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Felix arrives in Denerim and has dinner with Dorian, Cullen and Carver. He then has dessert with Carver.
> 
> Yes, dessert is a euphemism for sex.
> 
> There is sex in this chapter.
> 
> Which definitely now earns this fic it's Feverix paring tag.

Felix’s arrival was a low-key as Dorian might have wished. It wasn’t by design but because Felix arrived just as a massive storm was breaking over Denerim and so everything was done at pace to get him and his luggage inside and safe before the rain could soak them all. By the time they settled into Felix’s rooms, they were both a bit breathless at the sheer efficiency of the servants.

Dorian had seen to it that there was wine and food already in the sitting room and he now poured Felix a glass and brought over the tray of small bits and pieces. Felix was sitting near the window, watching the storm with fascination.

“No wonder the guards were so determined to get here as quickly as possible,” he breathed.

“The weather here is appalling.” Dorian rolled his eyes. “I may freeze when winter comes.”

Felix shot him a mischievous look. “Don’t you have a large burly Fereldan to keep you warm?”

Dorian actually blushed at that then wrinkled his nose at Felix when his friend laughed at him.

“I do actually,” he said softly.

Felix smiled. “Things are going well then, I take it.”

Dorian hesitated then nodded. “They are. I… he’s… I was always told there weren’t men like him.”

“Your father was wrong,” Felix said firmly. “There have always been men like him. You’ve just never allowed yourself to see that until you were married off to one.”

“Remind me to send the Archon a fruit basket,” Dorian said lightly, though his expression said he wasn’t entirely convinced by what Felix had said.

Felix sighed then let the subject drop. “So. You were very cryptic in your letter. What’s going on?”

“Carver.”

Felix sighed and sagged a little. “He, uh, never wrote back.”

“I know,” Dorian said archly. “That’s because he’s an idiot who was apparently trying to compose an opus instead of just saying please come to Ferelden, Felix, so we can have sex and see what happens then.”

Felix looked startled and a little hopeful. “Really?”

“Really.” Dorian rolled his eyes. “Fereldans. I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with them. So I invited you here and we’re having dinner with him tonight.”

Felix looked very amused. “Does he know I’m here and that we’re having dinner tonight?”

“No,” Dorian replied. “Cullen has been very accommodating in keeping him in the dark. He thinks he’s having dinner with Cullen and me. Instead he’s having dinner with the three of us.”

“Nice to know you’re staying,” Felix said with dry amusement.

“He’s likely to be awkward if we don’t,” Dorian replied.

“He’s likely to be awkward anyway.” Felix hesitated. “Are you sure he wants me here?”

“Very sure,” Dorian replied. “Even Cullen agrees and he’d know.”

Felix perked up and licked his lips. “Well, then.”

“What did happen that night?” Dorian asked. “I never did get the chance to find out before we left.”

Felix blushed and chuckled. “I may have had a little bit to drink that night.”

“I thought as much.”

“And he was there and all tall and grumpy.”

“And I know how you like tall, dark and grumpy.”

“He blushed when I flirted with him.

“Must be a Fereldan thing.” Dorian grinned. “Cullen blushes beautifully too.”

Felix laughed. “All that pale skin. I’ll bet he does. Anyway, Carver blushed and I got a little forward and he responded. I took him up to my room and then…” He sighed and grinned. “Maker’s balls, Dorian. It was glorious. He might blush and stammer when I flirt with him but he’s not hesitant in bed.”

“Cullen’s much the same,” Dorian replied. “All bashful and shy then you get him in bed and what a ride. And when he lets me take him? My word. It’s beautiful. _He’s_ beautiful.”

“He likes it?” Felix asked.

Dorian nodded. “He doesn’t much mind what we do as long as we both want it and enjoy it.”

Felix eyed him curiously and then he smiled fondly. “You’re falling in love with him, aren’t you?”

“I, uh…” Dorian curled up in on himself a bit and gave Felix a hesitant look. “I don’t know.”

Felix reached out and took his hand. “Dorian. You are allowed to fall in love with him, you know.”

“What if he doesn’t feel the same?” Dorian asked worriedly. “I can’t... I can’t do that, Felix. After… after Rilienus, it would break me.”

“Stop worrying,” Felix said patiently. “I’d say after tonight I’ll be able to give you an answer. If not, I’ll make Carver find out for me.”

“Really?” Dorian shook his head a little. “I mean, you’re being a bit premature in regards to Carver, aren’t you? I thought you’d want to give him time to stop stammering.”

“It can be his apology for not writing back,” Felix replied archly.

Dorian laughed and the conversation turned to various people they knew back in Tevinter and what they were doing now. They were still deep in conversation when the time came for dinner and they wandered along the corridor, chatting and laughing. Dorian was peripherally aware that many of those they passed eyed them both curiously but he ignored them.

Cullen was already in the room when they got there and had changed out of his armour and into a simple tunic. It was certainly from the look of it a very good one and likely expensive but by Tevinter standards, it was almost criminally plain.

“Felix, welcome,” Cullen said, coming forward to shake the man’s hand with a smile. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there when you arrived. The Avvar are getting feisty again and we were trying to find a way to get them to back off without too much in the way of bloodshed.”

“That’s quite alright,” Felix said. “We just beat the storm here so it was all a bit of a mad rush. I’ve heard about these Avvar. Are they much trouble?”

Cullen shrugged and gestured for Felix to sit down. “Not usually but every now and then a group get worked up and we have to beat them back. Their chieftains don’t seem to mind too much when we do so.”

“How odd,” Felix said with a chuckle. “I wonder if it’s their troublemakers that do this and they’re happy to let you teach them some manners.”

Cullen looked startled for a moment then he laughed. “I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case.”

Dorian had poured wine for them and they sat down on the sofas in the main room of Cullen’s little apartment. Felix looked highly amused when Cullen chose to sit very close to Dorian and periodically glanced over at him and smiled, especially when Dorian seemed utterly oblivious to what his husband was doing.

“So I’m a bit of a surprise for Carver, am I?” he said.

Cullen chuckled. “You are. He still hasn’t written that letter, by the way, though there have been many attempts.”

“He really is hopeless,” Felix said with a laugh. “Are all Fereldans this bad at letter writing?”

Cullen rubbed the back of his neck and looked rueful. “I don’t know about all Fereldans but I can’t say I’m much better.” He shook his head. “He wants to see you though.”

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Cullen set his glass aside and went to open it and ushered inside a somewhat disgruntled Carver.

“Why am I the one who has to deal with the recruits again?”

“Because I finally learned the art of delegation,” Cullen replied blandly. “Wine?”

Carver snorted and nodded. “Sure.” Then Cullen stepped aside and Carver saw Felix. He paled then blushed. “Felix!” he squeaked then he cleared his throat. “You’re here.”

Both Dorian and Felix managed to control their snorts of amusement but Cullen made no such attempt. 

“Well done,” he said, clapping Carver on the shoulder. “You retain your superlative ability to state the obvious.”

“Piss off,” Carver said immediately and Cullen gave him a grin that told the two Tevinters of the depth of their friendship.

“Hello, Carver,” Felix said calmly, though there was a gleam of amusement in his eyes. “Dorian invited me down. He thought I might enjoy seeing Ferelden.”

“Or one certain Fereldan,” Dorian added, sotto voce. 

“Hush, Dorian,” Felix said and Dorian grinned. “How have you been?”

“Uh, good,” Carver replied, still looking a bit stunned and awkward. “Um, it’s… it’s good to see you.”

“Your wine,” Cullen said, making Carver jump. The Commander looked hard pressed to not start laughing but somehow he managed to keep a relatively straight face as he went and sat down next to Dorian again.

Carver took the goblet with a muttered thanks. “You, uh… the storm didn’t catch you, did it?”

“No, we got in just before it hit,” Felix replied then he patted the sofa beside him. “Why don’t you come and sit down?”

Carver’s blush was immediate but he also didn’t hesitate to sit down next to Felix. “It’s… it’s good to see you.”

Both Dorian and Cullen got slightly puckered looks on their faces as they struggled not to laugh at Carver’s complete bamboozlement.

“It’s good to see you too,” Felix replied, managing to maintain an admirable calm.

A somewhat awkward silence fell then. Carver seemed to be desperately searching for something to say and failing miserably and Dorian and Cullen both looked like if they tried to say anything at all, even just to each other, they’d fall apart laughing. Felix gave them both an exasperated look, which didn’t help matters one bit, and turned back to Carver.

“Are the recruits giving you trouble?”

Carver seemed to relax a little and he rolled his eyes. “Half of them can’t tell one end of a sword from the other.”

“I would have thought that recruits would at least know a little bit about what they were doing,” Felix replied.

Carver snorted. “Not if they’re farmboys looking for something more glamorous than planting turnips.”

“Hey,” Cullen said. “I resemble that remark.”

“The Templars don’t count,” Carver said.

“You were a farmboy?” Dorian asked curiously.

“Yes, didn’t I tell you?” Cullen replied

Dorian smirked. “You may have mentioned it but I may have been distracted. You distract me frequently, Amatus.”

Dorian didn’t notice when Cullen blinked at the unknown word and Felix outright twitched but Carver did. He raised an eyebrow at Felix but the other man just shook his head silently and mouthed the word ‘Later’.

They were interrupted at that point by a knock on the door and when Cullen got up and opened it, a troop of servants came in with their dinner. They moved from the sofas to the small table that had been set up and the conversation drifted over a number of topics. Once the meal was done and the wine drunk, Carver offered to escort Felix back to his room, ignoring the smirks directed at him from Dorian and Cullen.

“I’d like that. Thank you.” Felix turned to Dorian. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Dorian nodded. “Not early.” He shuddered. “Bad enough that Cullen gets up with the sun. I refuse to comply.”

Felix laughed and headed out of the room with Carver.

“I gather they didn’t tell you I was coming,” he said after they walked a short way. He already knew the answer but it was a good way to break the slightly awkward silence that was threatening to descend upon them.

“No,” Carver said dryly. “I knew something was up because Cullen’s not _that_ good at hiding things but I didn’t realise Dorian had invited you down here.”

“It wasn’t solely for you.” Felix chuckled. “I think he’s lonely.”

Carver frowned. “Is he…?”

“He’s fine,” Felix said hurriedly. “No one’s treating him badly but he is the ‘mysterious Tevinter mage’ so people are wary and Cullen is busy.”

Carver nodded then he licked his lips. “Look. I’m sorry I didn’t write back. I was going to but I… couldn’t quite figure out what to say.”

“In a good way or a bad way?”

“A good way, I think.” Carver huffed. “I wasn’t sure how to say I… I liked you and wanted to see you again when you were in Tevinter and I’m here.”

Felix chuckled. “You could have just said that and I would have found that an excellent reason to come here.”

“But… don’t you have responsibilities back home?” Carver asked with a frown.

Felix looked away and when they looked back they’d arrived at his rooms. He opened the door and hesitated for a moment before gesturing for Carver to enter. The former Templar did so and Felix followed him in. He walked around the room, lighting the candles and lanterns with small gestures of his fingers. Carver had headed for the credenza and had poured them both some wine.

“I didn’t know you were a mage,” Carver said as he handed over one of the wine glasses.

“I’m not really,” Felix replied. “Which is why I’m free to do what I like.”

“How can you not really be a mage?” Carver asked as they sat down on the sofa.

Felix smiled faintly. “I do have some magical ability but not a great deal. My father saw me trained to the best of my ability and I can do little things like light candles but I never attended a Circle. There would have been no point.” He took a sip of his wine. “I believe in the South I would have been made Tranquil.”

Carver blanched. “Oh.”

Felix chuckled and patted his knee. “Don’t worry. I’m entirely in control of my magic and I’ve never been in danger in the Fade.”

“No, it’s not that.” Carver frowned into his wine glass. “I just… we would have made you Tranquil.”

“Ah,” Felix said. “If it’s any consolation, we do misuse the Rite of Tranquility in Tevinter just as much as you do here. We just do it in different ways.”

Carver gave him a long look. “I’m not sure that makes it any better.” He took a long drink of his wine. “I know King Alistair has been working to reform the Circle here but I never really understood why. Kirkwall was appalling but the Circle here is… a veritable holiday home compared to the Gallows.”

“Circles in Tevinter are places of education,” Felix said. “If you attend the Circle in the city where you live, it’s customary to live at home.”

Carver nodded thoughtfully. “I guess I just saw it wasn’t like the Gallows and didn’t think any further about it. Cullen’s been trying to get me to help out for a while now.” He smiled wryly. “Guess I might do so.”

Felix placed a hand on his knee. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make the conversation all grim and dreary.” He licked his lips. “I actually had some other ideas in mind.”

Carver looked down at the hand on his knee and blushed. “I, uh….” He snorted. “You know, this was a lot easier when I was drunk.”

“That’s true but I’d like to be relatively sober this time.” Felix set his glass aside then took Carver’s from him and placed it beside his own. Once that was done, he climbed into Carver’s lap and smiled when he felt hands immediately at his hips. “This is rather nice.”

Carver gave him a lopsided smile. “Yeah, it is.” He slid a hand round the back of Felix’s neck and pulled him into a kiss. “Really nice.”

They kissed for a while, soft, languid kisses that gradually turned into something far more heated and intense while Felix rocked his hips gently into Carver’s. Felix tilted his head back, inviting Carver to move from his lips to his neck, an invitation he was more than happy to accept and when he let his teeth scrape gently over the tendon in his neck, Felix groaned and bucked against him.

“We could move this to my bedroom,” Felix gasped as Carver’s hands tightened on his hip and pulled him closer.

Carver mouthed at his neck for a moment longer then he pulled back a little.

“You know this is more than…” He looked a little helpless for a moment. “This?”

Felix laughed breathlessly. “If all I wanted was sex, Carver, I could have stayed in Tevinter. I didn’t come here for a quick tumble.”

“Good,” Carver said then he wrapped an arm around Felix’s waist and another under his backside and got to his feet.

Felix yelped and laughed and wrapped his arms around Carver’s neck and his legs around his waist. He nipped and licked at the skin under Carver’s ear and laughed again as that made the man carrying him nearly trip over his feet.

“Felix,” Carver whined. “If you don’t stop that, we’re never going to make it to a bed.”

“You think I would object to you taking me against the wall?” Felix breathed then laughed at the whine that got him in reply.

Somehow they made it into the bedroom and fell haphazardly onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs as they kissed and licked and nipped at each other. Clothes were removed and flung onto the floor in a heated fervour and Carver pressed Felix into the mattress and covered his skin in kisses. Felix arched off the bed and clutched at his shoulders and hair as he moaned his approval of everything Carver was doing.

“Please, Carver,” he begged. “I need you.”

Carver rested his forehead on Felix’s hip and groaned. “Oil?”

Felix made a frustrated noise. “Somewhere in my luggage.” Then he threw an arm out towards the table beside the bed. “Wait. Check the drawer.”

Carver crawled up the bed and opened the drawer. He made a small choked sound and pulled out a jar of oil.

Felix chuckled. “Dorian.”

Carver frowned then shook his head. “I don’t want to know.”

“Just put it to use,” Felix said as he sprawled on the bed.

Carver took the lid off the jar and dipped his fingers into it. He remembered this from Tevinter, though it was covered with a haze of alcohol so the memories weren’t as clear as he might have wished. There would be no such trouble this time. He slid his fingers along the crease of Felix’s arse and rubbed one finger gently over his hole. Felix arched and moaned at the touch and whispered filthy encouragement as Carver used first one, then two then finally three fingers to stretch him.

“Carver, enough!” Felix panted. “I’m ready.”

Carver slicked himself with a couple of quick strokes. He didn’t dare do more. He was achingly hard and knew he wouldn’t last if he touched himself too much. He positioned the head of his cock at the entrance of Felix’s hole and slowly pushed in, pausing every time Felix gasped, until he was fully seated. Felix wrapped his legs around his hips and pulled him into a sloppy open-mouthed kiss.

“Move,” Felix whispered and Carver obeyed.

At first his thrusts were slow and shallow, allowing Felix to get used to his size, but it wasn’t long before he picked up speed to his lover’s enthusiastic encouragement. When he felt himself getting close, Carver wrapped a hand around Felix’s cock and stroked. Felix gasped and moaned and then finally cried out Carver’s name as he spilled over into his stomach and chest. Carver cursed as the feel of Felix tightening around him drove him over the edge and he came as well. 

He buried his face in Felix’s neck as he struggled for breath then he carefully pulled out and collapsed on the bed next to his lover. Felix immediately draped himself half over Carver and nuzzled at his jaw and cheek, pressing light kisses every now and then.

“Maker, that was better than last time,” Carver finally said.

Felix snorted with amusement. “We’re sober this time.”

Carver wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer. “There is that.”

They stayed like that for a while until the cool night air started to chill them both. Then they separated and cleaned up then climbed back into the bed, this time under the blankets and furs.

“I’ve never slept under furs before,” Felix said as he snuggled into Carver’s arms again.

“’S warmer,” Carver murmured, already half asleep.

“I feel like a barbarian,” Felix replied, settling himself comfortably. He chuckled when his only reply was a quiet snore and closed his eyes. There would be many things to talk about tomorrow, with both Carver and Dorian, but for now, he was warm, sated and happy.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Dorian gets his feelings _everywhere_ , Felix is the bestest of best friends and Carver blushes over Dorian’s blatant innuendo. (Cullen will get his in the next chapter *nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean*)

Felix was woken by the sound of someone moving around the room. He was confused for a moment then the events of the previous day came flooding back – Ferelden, dinner, Carver. He pried open his eyes and saw that the man in question was quietly getting dressed and that based on the quality of light coming through the window, it was far, _far_ too early.

“Maker bless,” he muttered as he curled up in the blankets and furs again. “Do you always get up this early?”

Carver looked around in surprise then chuckled. “Yes, I do actually.” He came over and pressed a kiss to Felix’s temple. “But you don’t have to.”

Felix hummed his approval at the kiss. “Were you going to wake me up before you left?”

Carver sat down on the side of the bed. “I was.” He ran a hand through Felix’s hair. “I can meet you for lunch, if you like.”

Felix nodded happily and hummed again, the gentle motion of Carver’s hand in his hair making him feel sleepy. Carver laughed at him gently.

“It’ll also give me a good excuse to kick Cullen out of his office and make him have lunch with Dorian,” Carver added.

Felix beamed at him. “I knew I liked you for more than just the sex.”

Carver blushed then leaned down and kissed Felix properly this time. “I should hope so. Anyway, I need to go.”

Felix leaned up into the kiss and did his best to nonverbally convince Carver to stay. He almost thought he’d won when Carver reluctantly pulled away.

“I...” Carver cleared his throat. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

Felix watched him go, torn between grumbling and grinning. He curled up into the blankets and furs again and breathed in the scent of Carver until he fell asleep again. When he woke again, it was to the sounds of someone moving around quietly in the other room. He frowned and crawled out of bed. He dug a dressing gown out of his luggage and pulled it on before heading out into the other room to find a maid cleaning up the dishes from the night before. He cleared his throat and she gave a startled squeak before turning and giving a bob of a curtsy.

“Oh! Good morning, messere. I was instructed to bring you a tray and I was just clearing the dishes. Do you wish for me to come back later?”

Felix smiled and shook his head. “No, please, don’t let me stop you.” 

He looked over at the tray and saw a selection of pastries and fruit along with a couple of small carafes, which when he wandered over, proved to contain water and some sort of juice. The maid continued her work and in short order she gave him another bob of a curtsy and disappeared out of the room with the tray of dirty dishes. Felix selected some of the pastries and fruit, poured himself a goblet of the juice and took his breakfast bounty over to one of the deep windows where there were cushions already set up. He settled himself down and found that his window overlooked some rather pleasant gardens.

It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door and he quickly called out, “Come in.”

The door opened to reveal Dorian and his friend sauntered into the room, pouring himself a goblet of water and joining Felix in the window seat. He immediately stole one of the pastries and Felix rolled his eyes.

“I take it you had a lovely evening?” Dorian said with mock innocence before Felix could say anything about his purloined breakfast.

Felix refused to blush and just smiled. “I did actually. Though he gets up at a truly ghastly hour of the morning.”

“I know,” Dorian said with a groan. “Cullen does the same. One of these days I’m going to get him to sleep in and then I’m going to reward him for that.” He smirked. “Then he’ll never get up early again.”

Felix laughed. “You seem very sure of that. He _is_ a dedicated military man, you know. It can be very hard to break those habits.”

“And I have a spectacular mouth and I know how to use it,” Dorian replied tartly. “My skill with fellatio is unparalleled.”

Felix could only laugh helplessly at that. “I’m sure Cullen will appreciate that,” he said when he’d caught his breath.

Dorian had been watching him fondly but now he sobered and stared out the window. “So,” he said, his gaze flicking momentarily to Felix before returning to look out the window. “You said you’d be able to tell me this morning.”

Felix was momentarily confused then he remembered the conversation from the previous day. He smiled softly. “Oh, Dorian. That man is head over heels in love with you. About as much as you’re in love with him actually.”

The look Dorian gave him was wide-eyed and just a little panicked. “I never said anything about being in love with him.”

“Dorian.” Felix shook his head and his smile widened. “You called him Amatus.”

As he watched, Dorian stared, went pale and then blushed. “I did?” he said in a small, almost frightened voice.

Felix sighed and set the remains of his breakfast aside. He plucked the goblet out of Dorian’s hand and pulled him into an embrace. Dorian hesitated for a moment then willingly curled up against his oldest friend.

“You know it’s alright to be in love with him?” Felix said as he rubbed Dorian’s back soothingly. “He’s in love with you after all.”

“How do you _know_?” Dorian asked plaintively.

Felix chuckled. “He looks at you like you hung the moon, Dorian.”

“Oh.” 

Dorian was silent as he thought about that and Felix was happy to let him sort through it all at his own pace. He’d never been entirely happy during Dorian’s whirlwind romance with Rilienus. He’d liked Rilienus well enough but there had been something inherently selfish about the other man that had set Felix’s teeth on edge. He didn’t deny that Rilienus _had_ cared about Dorian in his own way but he also hadn’t been overly surprised when Rilienus had decided he didn’t have the courage to defy his parents’ and society’s expectations and had tossed Dorian to the side to marry the woman his parents had chosen for him. He’d been angry but not surprised. Luckily for Rilienus, he’d been too busy picking up the pieces of Dorian’s broken heart to do anything dire to the idiot.

“It’s not like he’s going to leave either,” he said into the continuing silence. “He’s already married to you.”

“That’s not as reassuring as you might think,” Dorian said a little sourly.

“Nonsense,” Felix replied. “These southerners take their marriages seriously.”

“That just means he’ll toss me into the Circle when he tires of me,” Dorian grouched.

Felix sighed. Dorian could be impossible when he got into one of these moods. “I thought you were going to trust me on this.”

“I _do_ trust you, I just don’t trust…”

“Him?”

Dorian was silent for a moment. “I _want_ to trust Cullen, Felix. I truly do. But last time…”

Felix made a rude noise. “Rilienus was a coward who loved his position, his family’s money and his comfortable life more than you. I’m not saying he was a bad person, just a coward. You were always far braver then him.”

“And look what it got me,” Dorian said gloomily.

“A ridiculously handsome husband who loves and adores you?” Felix arched an eyebrow. “Yes, how terrible, Dorian. Your life is just awful. However are you going to survive?”

Dorian glared at him but there was a smile lurking there as well. “Sarcasm? Really? You’re throwing sarcasm at me this early in the morning?”

“When you’re being an idiot? Yes.” Felix ruffled Dorian’s hair then laughed when he squawked. “Cullen is ridiculously, unbelievably, _adorably_ in love with you, Dorian.”

Dorian paused in the act of fixing his hair. “Adorably?”

Felix chuckled. “He looks like he’s the type to walk around telling everyone how amazing and wonderful you are until they want to hit him over the head to make him stop.” He paused and grinned. “And until your ego gets so large you can’t fit through doors.”

Dorian gave him a smack on the shoulder but he was laughing and looking far more relaxed than he had been so Felix didn’t mind one bit.

“I should… talk to him, shouldn’t I?” Dorian said with a small fond smile playing over his lips.

“Well, you called him Amatus last night and he definitely noticed that,” Felix replied. “He’s going to ask sooner or later.”

Dorian blushed. “Did I _really_ call him that? I don’t remember.”

“I rather thought you did it without realising,” Felix said with a grin. “You have to tell him what it means when he asks because if you don’t, he’s going to come to me and I’m not going to lie. Then he’ll be all hurt that you lied to him and I’m betting he looks like a kicked puppy when he’s feeling hurt.”

Dorian gave him a look of helpless exasperation. “Felix. You are not helping.”

Felix’s grin widened. “Was I supposed to be?”

“Yes!”

“Then I’m helping.” Felix waved a hand. “Here I am, barely out of bed, not even bathed and dressed, and I’m helping you get some… what I am sure will be very good sex. Because he looks the sort to get emotional and happy when you tell him Amatus means beloved and that sort tends to celebrate being happy and emotional with kissing and sex.”

Neither of them had noticed that the door had opened until Carver managed to choke on fresh air.

“You know, I’m pretty sure I didn’t need to hear about my friend and commanding officer’s sex life,” he said dryly once he’d recovered.

“Oh… um…” Felix looked a little nonplussed and Dorian was looking out the window again, his body language tense and nervous.

“I, uh, left one of my gloves here, I think,” Carver continued, gesturing towards the bedroom then he paused. “Does it really mean beloved? That word Dorian used last night.”

Dorian turned around, his face a mask, as Felix answered, “Yes, it does.”

Carver cleared his throat and managed to look only mildly uncomfortable as he turned to Dorian. “Then Felix is right. Cullen’s going to be over the moon. He’s ridiculously in love with you.”

“Hah!” Felix crowed, wagging a finger at Dorian, who batted it away irritably. “Told you so and you can’t argue with Carver because he knows Cullen better than either of us.”

“Yes, yes,” Dorian said with annoyance though both Felix and Carver could see the tension just drain off him. He looked very significantly at Felix’s current state of dishabille then over at Carver and then he smirked. “Well, I might just go and pay my husband a visit and leave you two to… _find Carver’s glove_.”

He said that last bit with such blatant innuendo and suggestion than Carver almost choked again and Felix blushed. Dorian laughed and stood up, sauntering out of the room before Felix could come up with an appropriate reply. He glared at the closed door with amused frustration then he looked at Carver. The former Templar was licking his lips as his eyes roved over Felix’s body and a wicked thought came to mind. Felix eased off the window seat in a way that made his dressing gown gape in… certain areas and smirked when Carver swallowed hard.

“So, shall we go and… find your glove?” he said lightly, gesturing towards the bedroom.

Carver stared at him for a moment then he sighed and shook his head with a laugh. “Andraste’s arse. It’ll be worth Cullen’s teasing.” 

He strode over to Felix and picked him up in much the same way he’d done the previous night. Felix laughed and wrapped his legs around Carver’s waist and his arms around his neck.

“I don’t think Cullen’s going to be doing any teasing,” he said as Carver started walking towards the bedroom door. 

Carver shook his head. “I don’t want to know.” He then captured Felix’s mouth in a kiss before he could say anything more as they headed into the bedroom.


End file.
